


Inveigled

by FMB



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, M/M, NSFW, Oral Sex, Porn, Rimming, Wordcount: 30.000-50.000, tribal au, tribe au, turned out to be more avatar-ish, was supposed to be pocahontas-ish, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-01
Updated: 2013-12-01
Packaged: 2018-01-03 03:27:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 42,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1065213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FMB/pseuds/FMB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack, a young researcher's apprentice, travels to Berk to explore its lands. He meets Hiccup along the way, and in a desperate attempt to get Jack and his crew to return home, he agrees to assist him in learning more about the land.</p><p>**Edited: Fan-Made Soundtrack added.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inveigled

**Author's Note:**

> So this is from http://smileysyndrome.tumblr.com/post/66855755828/hijack-thanksgiving-3  
> I ended up making one of my own hahah  
> I feel like someone's going to get mad at me.  
> They're all probably very out of character, but I never said I was a good author.  
> Don't kill me
> 
> YOOOOOOOO SOMEONE MADE A FANMIX HOLYCRAPOLY  
> CHECK IT OUT ITS REALLY GOOD I'M LOVING IT SO MUCH RIGHT NOW  
> http://fuzzykitty01.tumblr.com/post/69438402022/inveigled-soundtrack-fanfiction-by-fmb  
> I REBLOGGED IT FROM THEM BUT I DONT THINK THEY REALIZED SMILEYSYNDROME WAS ME? OH WELL i'M JUST STUPID HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAA
> 
> GO LOOK AT IT LOVELIES

                The day the newcomers came to Berk, the entire island hushed with anticipation. The crunch of ice and snow under boots echoed through the icy wasteland, alerting the three tribes of what they were all sure was impending destruction. It wasn’t the first time people arrived on Berk in vast ships, carrying with them countless people. Quietly, they were watched from the slumping skeletons of trees as they set up their tents. When one young man began drifting away from his camp, he was followed by a lone scout, intent on finding out more information for his tribe.

                When the man happened upon the discarded corpses of yak, snow wolves, and the occasional sheep, the scout disguised himself with his cloak. He was invisible to the boy, blending in perfectly with the yak pile as he slowly crawled his way closer. When the brunet foreigner bent down to investigate a wolf, the scout stood, the head atop his own, and the fur that ran down his back like a heavy, leather waterfall flapping noisily in the howling wind. The man seemed to notice, head twisting around suddenly, and eyes bulging. He scrambled to his feet, mouth flapping, and the scout drew closer in two large steps.

 _< <What are you doing here?! Do you want to be flayed?! You do not belong here!>>_ The scout shouted, gesturing wildly to the ground they stood on. The man gasped, realization flushing out his fear in a heartbeat.

“A native!” He chirped excitedly, every word the boy spoke lost on him. He patted himself down, scrambling to get his notebook and pencil, but the native assumed he was searching for a weapon and displayed his dragon-skin gloves, lifting them up in defense. The man halted, looked surprised, then shook his head quickly and retrieved his book, holding it up for the native to see.

“I don’t have any weapons! I promise!” He said with a smile, slipping the pencil from behind his ear and opening the book, flipping through until he found an empty page. The native lowered his hands, then glanced around quickly before hissing out, _< <You shouldn’t be here, foreigner, you need to leave!>>_

“Wait, wait, wait!” He whispered, writing vigorously in his notebook, “Let me just… and one more…. Ok!”

He flipped the notebook around, showing the yak-skin-clad scout a rushed sketch of him. The native gasped lightly, eyes wide beneath the skull helmet he wore, but when he took a step forward to examine it further, a horn in the distance blew, making the two flinch.

“Down!” The native shouted, grabbing the man and throwing him into the snow, face up. Brown eyes widened in surprise, and after a painful grunt, exclaimed, “You speak English?!”

“Quiet!” The native growled, crouching down over the man and pressing their bodies together, using the yak skin to keep them hidden. The man seemed to hold his breath, finding himself face-to-face with a man his own age, but dressed much more simply despite the cold weather. His eyes were closed and his face pulled together in concentration, but when the horn blew again, he muttered under his breath and looked into the foreigner’s eyes, searching.

“Stay.” He whispered, lifting a hand to press a finger against the man’s lips, not moving further until he nodded in understanding. The native slipped out from under the yak skin, quickly enough not to be noticed by the entourage headed his way. At the front, his father.

_< <Hiccup! What have I told you about wandering around the disposal grounds? You can get sick like this.>>_

_< <Father, where else am I to go? You shoved me out of our tribe already. Don’t tell me I’ll have to risk sharing ground with the Berserkers next!>>_

The man sighed, looking distressed and very much panicked. He brought a hand to his temples, rubbing slowly as he thought, then he looked back to his three-man entourage before looking to his son, Hiccup.

_< <What I did is to protect you and the tribe, my son. You would do the same in my shoes.>>_

_< <Would I have?>> _Hiccup shot back snootily, turning his nose down and glaring at the rusty snow, tainted from the expired blood. His father grumbled softly, then settled both hands on Hiccup’s shoulders, earning his attention once more.

_< <You know as well, don’t you? More have arrived. I cannot let you get into a fight with these men.>>_

_< <I’m not useless, father! I know how to fight!>>_

_< <You know how to make a mess of things!>> _He interrupted quickly, shooting him down without hesitation, _< <Regardless… you will still join us for the ceremony. I expect you to be there.>>_

Hiccup clenched his jaw, then dropped his head again, wanting to refuse but knowing he wouldn’t dare. Instead, he sighed, then asked, _< <When is it?>>_

_< <Fourteen days. Do not forget, you are allowed one guest from your…. Tribe.>>_

Hiccup smirked a little, knowing it caused his father something near an aneurism to be forced to call Hiccup’s odd community a tribe. He nodded, then, and took a step away from his father.

 _< <Battle well.>>_ He said softly, a touch of familial affection in his voice. He was his father, after all, and he had to look out for him as best as he could.

 _< <Battle well.>>_ He replied, nodding to his one and only child. They stayed staring at one another, both of them wanting to speak, to apologize, and write the wrong that tore them apart, but before they could, a man dressed in wolf skin spoke first.

_< <Stoick. We have to return to the tribe.>>_

He simply nodded, and the four of them turned and headed back. When they were gone from Hiccup’s sight, the young man turned and headed straight for the yak-skin he left behind, grabbing it by the horns and tugging it up, revealing the brunet man laying beneath it. He smiled and waved at Hiccup, who merely rolled his eyes and donned his headdress, then bent down to tug the man to his feet.

“So you speak English?” He picked up from where they left off, patting down his fur coat from the snow and frozen blood, pointedly ignoring the piece of degenerated organ he flicked from his shoulder. Hiccup snorted and crossed his arms, no longer hiding his face behind the skull of a yak.

“You should not be here.” Hiccup said with a heavy accent, turning his back to the man and beginning to walk away. He stood there for a while, then seemed to jump back to reality and he rushed to him.

“Wait! Wait a minute!” He called out, rushing to his side and walking with him, “I’m Jack! Uh, Jack Overland! W-What’s your name?”

“Chieftain Hiccup,” He replied shortly, getting a gasp of amazement before adding, “My father’s tribe calls me ‘ _Lopt Dýr Hilmir’_.”

“Your father’s tribe? Wait, if you’re the chief’s son… why do you have your own tribe?” Jack asked, brows furrowed and breath beginning to shorten from keeping up with Hiccup’s brisk walk.

“They do not want me in their tribe.” Hiccup replied without much pain, though there was plenty behind the words, “I am… useless.”

“But… you have your own tribe! How is that useless?” Jack asked next, scoffing a little from the ridiculousness. Hiccup couldn’t help but look surprised. This was the first time someone ever voiced his own opinion. He smiled a little, then muttered, “That is what I think, too.”

They paused for a moment, mostly for Jack to catch his breath. When he caught it again, he smiled down at Hiccup and asked, “So… Hiccup… I, uh, I’m here to research you. Well, _all_ of you. The tribes and the animals a-and… well, you get the point.”

Hiccup quirked a brow at him, suddenly not liking where this conversation was going. Jack licked his lips, then pulled out his notebook and pencil again, fingering the worn binding of the book, “Do you… do you think it would be okay if I… tagged along with you?”

Hiccup narrowed his eyes, then took a step away from Jack.

“I do not ‘tag’ with foreigners.” He said immediately, hands reaching up to grasp the skull on his head, ready to pull it down if he needed to.

“P-please!” Jack said quickly, quickly noticing their figurative broken ice beginning to crumble beneath their feet, “I won’t bother you at all! I just… I just want to see how you live! I want to learn about you!”

Hiccup tugged the yak skull down over his face, shouting thickly, “No! No learning! You must leave!” before he turned and, with the help of his dragon-claw gloves, climbed up the trunk of a frozen evergreen, hiding himself in the branches and leaves in record time. He could hear Jack gasp, then sigh in disappointment. He slowly climbed out along a branch, peering down through the shroud of leaves and snow to see Jack kick the snow unhappily, then trudge away, heading back to his campsite.

Hiccup bit his lip, worried, but curious. He had yet to examine the drawing Jack made earlier, and he definitely wanted to see it again, but he shoved down his selfish compulsions and darted back towards his tribe, using the trees as his cover.

* * *

It was night when Hiccup saw Jack again. He had been hunting with his pack, deciding to stop at the closest watering hole before heading back with their kill. Hiccup had emerged from the trees first, immediately spotting the young man and halting to a stop. With a quick gesture, his pack halted as well, taking a few steps back for the snow and skeletal trees to cover them.

Hiccup glanced over his shoulder, bright yellow eyes staring at him expectantly, then he turned back to the man sitting at the water’s edge, notebook in hand and pencil scribbling away. He took in a short breath, then whispered to them in their growling language.

_‘Go back to the caves. I’ll return shortly.’_

They all seemed to hesitate, not wanting to leave their little chief behind, but they took off regardless. The yellow-eyed beast halted and glanced back at him, chirping a brief, _‘Mercy is strength’_ before he took off. Hiccup pressed his lips into a line, then walked forward, exposing himself in the moonlight. When he reached the edge of the water, opposite to Jack, the man finally looked up, startling only slightly before getting to his feet.

“Hiccup!” He gasped, rushing around to greet the native. Hiccup gave him a half smile, but distrust was in his eyes. He kept the distance between them far, refusing to shake Jack’s hand.

“I told you to leave.” He said without greeting, scared for the young man, “It is not safe here. My father and his tribe will kill you.”

“No one is eager to resort to violence, Hiccup!” Jack chuckled, keeping their distance respectfully, “I just want to learn. How could they hate me for that?”

“They can hate for many reasons.” Hiccup muttered coldly, “You are different. You are foreign. They will hate you.”

“Then I’ll just have to learn from you! Since you, obviously, don’t hate me!” Jack replied smugly, then added, “Plus, if you’ve been a part of both tribes, who _knows_ how much you have to offer!”

Hiccup pulled an offended face, crossing his arms, “I never said I do not hate you!”

“Well, if what you’re telling me is true, I would be dead by now if you did.”

They stared at each other for a moment, Hiccup fuming when he realized that was the truth and Jack falling into a fit of laughter. Their meeting was interrupted when a series of shouts and cries were heard, startling the two of them.

“What is that?!” Jack gasped, taking a step closer to Hiccup who, in response, grabbed Jack’s wrist and pulling him ever closer.

“They are hunting. We have to go.” He said quickly, keeping his grip on Jack’s wrist tight before sprinting off into the trees. Jack shouted in surprise, but forced himself to keep up, stumbling over twigs and rocks. When they ran far enough, Hiccup slammed Jack against a tree trunk and pressed himself against him again, the yak skin hiding them in the shadows. Jack had to duck his head and bend at the knees to fit under the skin, and he and Hiccup looked at each other strangely.

The sound of feet running past in the snow made them hold their breaths, but it passed quickly and without incident. A few more minutes passed before Hiccup finally stepped away from Jack, thinking hard about their situation.

“That’s the second time you did that…” Jack whispered, but Hiccup ignored him, “You… you saved my life, twice…”

“If they find you, they will kill you…” Hiccup muttered, staying in English to let Jack understand the severity of their situation.

“Why do you keep saving me?” Jack asked, but Hiccup still ignored him.

“I cannot take you back to your tribe… And I cannot leave you here…” He whined, running his fingers through his hair, wincing when the claws on his gloves poked his scalp.

“If you want me to leave, why did you rescue me?”

“I have no other choice now…” Hiccup sighed, then sucked it up and glared at Jack, “You are causing me great pain, Jack.”

Jack looked surprised, then bit his lip. He looked far more than apologetic, brinking on flat out guilt, but Hiccup didn’t apologize for his words. Instead, he grabbed Jack’s wrist and tugged him along, running, but at a slower pace, towards his tribe’s caves. Upon entering, Jack fell quiet, eyes glued to the light shining from the heart of the mountain ahead of them. As Hiccup walked, Jack’s wrist still in his grip, Hiccup decided to brief Jack on a few things.

“My tribe… They are distrusting. Do not do a thing to make you seem like the enemy. Do not scream, do not yell, and do not dig in your pockets.” They stopped, just a turn away from entering the heart of the cave. Hiccup looked at Jack, staring into his eyes, and with quite a lot of worry, said, “Also… They are dragon.”

Jack didn’t seem to comprehend his statement at all, but Hiccup felt it better to let him see rather than say it again. They walked around the corner, entering in on a hive of flying beasts and creatures. A pit of molten rock lay in the center, the heat emanating from it warming the caves and supplying them with light. The red-grey rock walls glowed with the heat.

When the first dragon spotted Hiccup, they let out an alerting cry. At once, every dragon settled on their personal perch, arching their necks down to examine their little chief and his company. Jack’s jaw had fallen open, his hands shaking and his knees threatening to buckle.

“Dragons…” He breathed, Hiccup’s grip on his wrist becoming the only thing grounding him, “Dragons…”

 _‘My brothers!’_ Hiccup howled in dragonspeak, lifting his free arm to gain their attention, _‘Our hunters have brought back a feast! I feel its taste would amplify with the company of those who have not had our foods!’_

The dragons roared their agreement, claws scraping along the rock and teeth bared for the lava-light to glint off of. A particular black dragon chirped happily, pride in his yellow-green eyes that wasn’t lost on the little chief. When they silenced again, Hiccup smiled and pulled Jack a bit closer.

 _‘Feast with me!’_ He urged, and the dragons leapt from their ledges and drifted down to the molten pit, sitting along its edges. Hiccup looked at Jack, still shaking and watching the beasts join around the pit, then said softly, “Feast with me.”

Jack looked at Hiccup, eyes wide and lip trembling, “Your… your tribe is… comprised of dragons…”

“Yes.” Hiccup answered simply, tugging Jack closer to the pit and sitting at the edge of it with him, between a slick, black dragon and a tall, rust-red beast.

“But… Dragons don’t exist!” Jack huffed, flinching when the black dragon turned towards them, sheep carcass between its jaws. Hiccup made a noise of surprise, using his claw gloves to tear apart its hind legs. He handed one to Jack who took it respectfully, then showed him to hang it over the pit and let the heat cook it.

“If they do not exist, how are they here?” Hiccup decided to ask, smiling at the disgruntled-looking Jack as they cooked their sheep. Jack thought about it for a long while, then looked up to see almost all of them watching him closely, chewing lazily on their food. He gulped, then glanced at Hiccup for a little reassurance. The man just smiled and begun eating his sheep, not caring if he made a mess of himself.

“So… does this mean you’re going to help my research?” Jack decided to ask, constantly glancing out at the dragon tribe to make sure they weren’t getting closer. Hiccup snorted, rolling his eyes and waving his half-eaten sheep leg around.

“I do not help those who do not help in return.” He said simply, smiling as though proud of it, “And helping your research will be plenty to help back for.”

Jack pursed his lips, then clarified, “So… If I teach you about my world, you’ll teach me about yours?”

Hiccup grinned, biting into the meat once more before nodding, “You are not the only curious one on this island.”

Jack grinned at that, then stuck out his hand for Hiccup, getting a surprised look from the man, “Deal!”

Hiccup glanced at the hand, then held out his own, allowing Jack to grab it and shake it vigorously. When they let go, Hiccup went back to his sheep leg and said, “But you must teach me something worthwhile first. Perhaps… what you did in your book.”

“You mean my drawing?” Jack asked, tempted to reach for his book, but remembering Hiccup’s earlier warning and keeping his hands visible, “Sure, I can teach you how to draw.”

Hiccup smiled at that, then finished his sheep and threw the bone into the pit.

* * *

“So… You speak dragon?” Jack asked, slowly making his way up the tree, determined to sit behind the laughing Hiccup.

“Yes.” He replied, reaching down to help Jack climb up a bit faster. It was hard for the foreigner since he didn’t have dragon-claw gloves, but he still impressed the young chief with how far he managed to get, “They teach me when I came to them.”

“And how did you come upon them?” Jack asked next, when he was safely sitting on the tree branch just below Hiccup’s. He was hugging the trunk of the tree, determined not to look down or fall. Hiccup swung his legs a little, scratching his head as he thought. He had left the yak skin hanging on a branch a few feet down, not wanting the horns to tangle in the loose branches.

“We always knew of them here. My father’s tribe would fight them to death. When I was younger, I wanted to kill, too, but I am not strong enough. I caught a dragon, once, and when I was to kill him, I found he was more… uh… more…”

“Interesting?” Jack supplied, and Hiccup nodded, smiling in thanks.

“Yes. More interesting living than dead.” He nodded again, scraping the dragon claws along to bark to sharpen them, “I let him go, but he came back. I think he think-“ Jack tilted his head, and Hiccup corrected himself, “ _thought_ the same as me. I am more interesting living than dead.”

“So you became friends with him?” Jack asked next, slowly letting his death-grip on the trunk go, turning himself so his back was against the trunk instead, feet hanging on either side of the thick branch.

“Yes. We hunted together, too. He taught me better than the tribesmen did. But my father found out, and he decided I was not to be in the tribe anymore.” Hiccup finished with a shrug, then turned and climbed further up. Jack panicked a little, rushing to keep up with him. The branches were getting thinner, now, and Hiccup stopped before they began to bow under his feet. Jack was breathing a bit heavily, but he kept up nicely, earning a grin from the little chief. Hiccup gestured for Jack to stand, as he was, then he pushed apart the branches, giving them a perfect view of the forest and the mountains and even the icy beaches where Jack’s camp was set up.

Jack’s breath was stolen, eyes wide and heart skipping. His lips fell apart in a silent “whoa,” and Hiccup laughed lightly, watching the man’s expression.

“It’s… beautiful.” Jack whispered, and Hiccup finally tore his gaze away from the brunet to appreciate the view himself.

“Berk is never beautiful.” He said with a smile, watching his breath coil into the air as a steam-cloud, “Berk is gorgeous.”

“Gorgeous.” Jack agreed, smiling sideways at Hiccup, “Even better with you looking at it with me.”

Hiccup faltered a bit at that, shooting Jack a confused look. Jack just smiled a bit more, but he didn’t say anything further on the subject. They just stared out at Berk for a while longer, enjoying the sight of snow slowly drifting down on the island, a few curls of smoke wafting into the air from campfires. The mountain Hiccup and his tribe lived in was the only thing freed of snow, the internal heat from all the dragons melting it away almost instantly.

Hiccup shifted a little, then pointed towards the beaches, where Jack was camping, “That is your tribe,” He said, squinting his eyes and slowly dragging his finger left, pointing up at his mountain, “That is my tribe, _Lopt Dýr._ ” He continued left, pointing down where the trees cleared and a river passed through, just above a waterfall, “That is my father’s tribe, _Hul_.” He continued left and down, to the beach at the opposite end of the island, “And that is other tribe, _Berserkr._ ”

Jack followed his finger, listening closely to the tribe names. When Hiccup dropped his finger, Jack glanced between the four places, then pulled out his notepad and pencil, beginning to sketch out a basic map before listing the separate tribes and their places. Hiccup watched curiously, tilting his head this way and that as Jack scribbled out letters and drew out trees.

“What are those?” Hiccup asked, tapping a claw lightly on the paper, just beneath the word “ _Campsite”_. Jack quirked a brow, then lifted the book a bit more so Hiccup could see.

“Words. Letters. You have them too, don’t you?” Jack asked, and Hiccup nodded slowly.

“But these are not our words.” He pointed out, tapping the word “ _Campsite_ ” again. Jack smiled a little, then said, “Well, since you know how to speak English, shouldn’t you learn how to write it, too?”

Hiccup looked up at him in surprise, then smiled a little, “You still did not teach me to drawing.”

“I’ll teach you to _draw_ and write. You said learning about your culture would have a big price. I’m only trying to compensate my end of the deal.” Jack explained with a chuckle, and Hiccup smiled a bit more.

“I think that is a good deal.” Hiccup said, nodding to himself. When he remembered what Jack had done days ago, he stuck out his hand to Jack, making sure the claws didn’t poke him. Jack looked surprised, then happy, and he took his hand and shook it.

They looked out over the island again, then Hiccup turned to Jack and asked, “What is your tribe called?”

“Huh?” Jack started, realizing they didn’t really have a name for their expedition. He thought for a minute, then recalled the boat name and decided to go with, “Guardians _.”_

“Guardians….” Hiccup whispered, looking out to the campsite in contemplation, “You come from… England?”

“America, actually.” Jack corrected, smiling fondly. He was pretty patriotic, he had to admit, but who wouldn’t be? They were the new country, and they were already making leaps and bounds ahead of the others.

“America…?” Hiccup asked slowly, never having heard of it before, “There is no America.”

“If there’s no America, then how is it there?” Jack replied snarkily, flipping to the spot in his notebook where he sketched out a basic world map, pointing proudly to the giant land mass that was America. Hiccup gasped, taking the notebook and examining it closely.

“And where is Berk?” He asked excitedly, obviously wanting to compare their sizes. Jack hummed, looking over Hiccup’s shoulder before pressing the tip of his pencil to a small dot just along the islands near Greenland. Hiccup seemed upset by this, then looked out to the island, trying to comprehend how big America really was. After a minute or so, Hiccup just huffed and rubbed his forehead, looking upset.

“That is too many.” He muttered, and when Jack made a curious noise, Hiccup explained, “It is too many Berks together! How many tribes are there in America?”

“Well, we don’t really have tribes. Just… towns.” Jack said with a shrug, and Hiccup pulled a face.

“What is towns?” He asked, handing the notebook back to Jack and letting the branches come together again, blocking their view of the island.

“Towns are places people live and thrive in a community. They’re sprinkled throughout America.” Jack explained with a shrug, watching as Hiccup begun to climb down. He followed clumsily.

“And what is different with tribes and towns?” Hiccup asked, swinging down from branch to branch gracefully, “Tribes are communities.”

“Well, yeah, but, with towns, you don’t really settle for one town. I mean, you could, but it’s normal for us to move around. Jump from town to town.” Jack said, almost losing his grip at one point, but Hiccup caught him and steadied him, then pulled him down onto his branch, which was thick enough to hold them. He pressed Jack against the trunk of the tree, straddling the branch right in front of the foreigner. Jack’s cheeks heated up, but Hiccup didn’t understand.

“Then how is there community?” He asked, much more curious about that than why Jack’s face was turning redder and redder with each passing minute.

“Um… Uh… We… We just don’t limit ourselves to one community. That way, we can make more friends.” Jack tried to explain. Hiccup thought about it for a moment, then hummed in appreciation.

“I think I like that idea.” He said slowly, smiling at Jack, which only made his blush deepen. He moved a bit closer to the foreigner, tilting his head and examining his face, “Are you nervous?”

“Pfft! Wh-what gave you th-that idea?!” Jack scoffed, pointedly looking away from Hiccup, who merely leaned closer.

“Because you will not look down.” Hiccup pointed out, and Jack had to give him a flat stare. He thought he was scared of heights.

“Oh my God.” Jack groaned, letting his head fall forward and making Hiccup flinch in surprise.

“Jack?” He asked nervously, leaning down to try to look at his face. When he got him to look into his eyes again, Jack clenched his jaw, then slid his fingers through Hiccup’s matted and singed hair, surprising the young chieftain. When he pulled him forward to kiss him, Hiccup downright flipped out and squirmed out of Jack’s grip, confusion and doubt written all over his face.

“What were you doing?!” He asked quickly, staying on their shared branch, but keeping his distance. Jack looked surprised and a bit hurt, then he started to mumble.

“Well… I mean… I thought you… uh… liked me, too…” Jack said slowly, messing with his shirt now. Hiccup frowned.

“Of course I like you, Jack,” He said, shaking his head, “But what does that have to do with what you were doing?”

“Well… When we like people back in America… we kiss them.” Jack tried to explain, cheeks turning a light shade of red. Hiccup’s brows rose, then he glanced below and above them before relaxing again.

“We only do that to family…” Hiccup said, adding, “Dragons don’t kiss at all. They clean those they love. And even then, they only clean the teeth of their life partners.”

Jack pulled a face that made Hiccup’s lips twitch into a smile and say, “It is what dragons do. I did not say I do it as well.”

“Right, right…” Jack murmured, turning his head down, then closing his eyes and sighing, “Look, I’m… I’m sorry if I offended you… I just wanted to… Well, that doesn’t matter, I guess.”

Hiccup tilted his head a bit, then relaxed further and straddled the branch again, sliding close to Jack and using the back of his glove to lift Jack’s head so they could look into each other’s eyes, “You are different than past foreigners I have met…”

“Well, it’s your fault for stereotyping…” Jack muttered, but when Hiccup gave him a confused look, he just waved it away and decided to say, “Thanks… I think that means I’m doing something right.”

Hiccup smiled, then bit his lip before saying, “I am sorry about this… culture difference. Let me make it up to you?”

Jack seemed to perk up at that, definitely interested, “How?”

“I can show you how my tribe and my father’s tribe court. The _Hul_ tribe will be throwing their spring equinox ceremony in just a few nights. I must go because I am the chieftain’s son, but he is allowing me a guest. It is supposed to be from my tribe, but… I promised to get you out of here.” He explained slowly, watching the smile on Jack’s face grow, “But none of the tribesmen speak English. Not even my father. I was the only one who cared to learn.”

“Th-that’s okay! I mean, you can just tell me the important parts, right?” Jack asked, looking thrilled for this opportunity. Hiccup laughed and nodded, happy that Jack wasn’t moping anymore.

“My tribe will also be celebrating a few nights after, it is mating season soon. You can come to that, too.” Hiccup offered, swinging a leg over the tree branch and hopping down, catching his yak-skin headdress on his way down, then using one of the branches to slow his fall before he hit the ground, landing expertly on his feet. Jack’s heart jumped to his throat, prepared to call out after him in horror, but when he saw him safe, he let out a sigh and begun to scramble down after him.

“The dragons won’t be – _oof!_ —mating at the celebration…. Will they?” Jack squeaked, finally landing on the ground much to Hiccup’s amusement. The young chieftain adorned his headdress, then gestured for Jack to follow as he began walking the man towards his campsite.

“Only the life partners. And you do not need to worry, they are private creatures. The younger ones will begin mating a few nights after the celebration, and they are a bit more… open.”

“And, uh… how do _you_ partake in this… celebration?” Jack refrained himself from calling it a sex party or, even worse, an orgy, but it seemed that they were just one-on-one experiences happening at the same time.

“I usually leave for the mountain top and pray to the Gods for healthy hatchlings.” Hiccup said with a shrug, “Since I cannot reproduce with them and am the chief, I am given the job of staying out of the way.”

Jack frowned a little, then said, “Or you’re given the most important job. Praying to the Gods sounds like hard work…”

Hiccup smiled sheepishly, cheeks colouring at the compliment, “It is… taxing. I cannot eat for three days after aside from water from the sky and snow, and cabbage.”

“Jeez, that sounds horrible!” Jack groaned, rubbing his own stomach. Hiccup just laughed and lightly pushed him. Soon, they were at the edge of the beach, and Hiccup turned to Jack before he left.

“Come to the caverns in three nights. I’ll take you to the _Hul_ tribe.” He said with a smile, and Jack nodded.

“Thank you, Hiccup. For everything.” He said with a grin, taking Hiccup’s hand and shaking it.

“You still must teach me to draw and write!” Hiccup reminded the man, getting a happy laugh and a nod.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry, I’ll teach you, I promise. We have a lot of time, anyway.”

Hiccup seemed doubtful about that.

* * *

Jack was quick to slip away from his campsite unnoticed. Tonight was the night Hiccup would take him to the _Hul_ tribe, and he would really start to learn about the different cultures aside from dragon. When he arrived at the cavern, he saw Hiccup standing out at the front with a black dragon, the two of them conversing lightly. When Hiccup saw Jack, he smiled and lifted a claw, mimicking Jack’s constant waving. The dragon growled something, and Hiccup turned red and glared at him, hissing something in return before pushing his hands on his nose, urging him back into the caverns.

“What was that about?” Jack asked with a laugh, and Hiccup’s bright red cheeks only narrowed the possibilities. The chieftain ignored him and gestured for him to follow.

“The ceremony will be starting at the fall of the sun, so we must hurry. I must tell you some things before we get there, though.” Hiccup said, keeping his pace fast and glancing back constantly to make sure Jack was keeping up.

“You are to sit beside me on my right side. Do not dig in your pockets. You can have your book and pencil, but keep them in the open. Do not hide your hands, and do not look anyone in the eye except me.

“You may clap when others clap, but do not be the first, and do not be the last to stop. If you are spoken to, look to me. When my father stands, you will stand. You will not sit until I or my father is seated. If I stand, do not stand.

“Do you understand?” Hiccup asked, looking over his shoulder to give him a serious look, and when Jack nodded, he smiled and said, “Good. You will be fine.”

He had a secretive look in his eyes that made Jack a little nervous, but he was still thrilled about being able to see their culture in action. When they reached the edge of the clearing, Hiccup stopped and looked over Jack, then reached forward and tugged at his fur coat, trying to decide if it was appropriate. When he decided that it wasn’t, he gave Jack an apologetic look, then used his dragon claws to tear at the jacket, ripping the sleeves off and casting them aside. Jack gasped, but didn’t fight him. He didn’t want to look like a complete outsider, anyways.

He nearly yelped when Hiccup dropped to his knees, yak-skin fluttering around him. He grabbed Jack’s left leg first, pulling it up into the air, then carefully sheared away the cloth just below Jack’s knee. He did the same with the other leg, then removed Jack’s shoes, making him hiss from the cold.

“I’ll get frostbite!” Jack complained, and Hiccup made a face that practically said, “but the shoes are hideous…”

He gave in, ultimately, and helped Jack slide the shoes back on, then he got back to his feet and ran a hand through Jack’s hair, ruffling it up until it was ‘suitable’. Hiccup hummed, then smiled and said, “I think you are ready.”

“I hope so…” Jack murmured self-consciously, but Hiccup scoffed away his doubts and took his hands in his.

“You are ready.” He restated, giving Jack a confident smile. Jack mimicked his smile, glad someone believed in him.

Hiccup let go of him, then readjusted his headdress and put on his serious face, then walked through the trees and into the clearing. Jack followed behind, trying his best to look like he belonged, but he knew everyone there could tell he was a foreigner.

They didn’t cheer when they saw Hiccup, and soon Stoick was approaching them, looking baffled.

_< <I thought you would be bringing a tribesman?>>_

_< <I brought a guest, like you said.>>_ Hiccup said moodily, not backing down, _< <If you have a problem, I can always leave.>>_

 _< <No!>> _He shouted quickly, startling Hiccup, Jack, and a few others that were in hearing distance, _< <It’s important that you stay. We cannot hold the ceremony without you.>>_

 _< <That isn’t what you said two years ago.>>_ Hiccup remarked coldly, then looked at Jack and nodded for him to follow. He pushed past his father, finding his spot beside where his father would sit, lowering himself to the right of it. Jack sat right of him, book and pencil in hand and a smile on his face. Hiccup smiled back, then moved a little closer to him so he could talk without speaking too loudly.

“We will eat, first. It is rude to finish your plate, but do not eat too little. At the end, we will offer the leftovers to the Gods by pouring them into the fire.” He nodded towards the bonfire they sat around, “You will offer your leftovers with me, at the same time.”

“Alright… what do you eat?” Jack asked, and Hiccup made a face before grumbling, “Dragon meat.”

Jack’s stomach sank at that, and he looked towards the fire, feeling uncomfortable, “There’s no other option, is there?”

“If only.” Hiccup huffed, crossing his arms, “My tribe hates these celebrations. They are a peaceful community; they only hunt to survive. The _Hul_ , they hunt for sport. Though they are not as savage as the _Berserkr_ tribe…”

“Will I get to meet the _Berserkr_ tribe?” Jack asked hopefully, and Hiccup made a face.

“If we are lucky, you will not.”

Before Jack was able to complain, Stoick walked to his seat and cleared his throat. Hiccup gestured to Jack and they stood, along with the rest of the tribe. Stoick began to speak, his words being loosely translated to Jack as he went.

 _< <My Huligan tribe! The spring days are upon us! Soon the snow will melt and we will begin our harvest! May the Gods give us bountiful crops, healthy and strong and without illness!>>_ the tribe cheered, shouting their own praises that Hiccup didn’t care to translate.

 _< <I also wish for this ceremony to mark the beginning of what might just become an annual purge of foreigners!>> _Stoick looked towards Jack, and Hiccup narrowed his eyes and stopped translating, staring hard at his father. Jack frowned, turning to Hiccup and gently nudging him with his elbow.

 _< <Father…>> _Hiccup said in a warning tone, but Stoick ignored him and continued.

_< <For the past three years these men have come to our shores! We cannot risk our territory to the likes of them! We will run them off the island, and if they do not go, they will be sacrificed instead!>>_

_< <Stop it!>> Hiccup yelled, stomping his foot to silence the cheering tribe, <<They are not here for the land!>>_

_< <They do not belong here, Hiccup. Even you would know this!>> _Stoick replied gruffly, glaring down at him.

_< <Death and purging will not keep them away! You cannot kill everything you disagree with!>>_

_< <I can kill those who trespass on our territory, and I will keep our island safe. Those foreigners are dangerous!>>_

_< <A newborn lamb is more dangerous than them! _I _am more dangerous than them! >>_

The crowd seemed to murmur at that, fueling Hiccup’s annoyance at the fact that degrading himself was helping his argument. Stoick glowered down at him, clenching his jaw, but he didn’t speak.

 _< <You are not the only tribe on this island, _Stoick. _> > _Hiccup hissed out, keeping eye contact with his father until Stoick turned away, looking back to his tribesmen.

 _< <If they come to us, we will defend our land.>>_ Stoick said, not looking at Hiccup.

 _< <If you attack first, I will protect them.>>_ Hiccup warned, and even though the tribe laughed at the threat, Stoick knew the real danger behind his words. Stoick was the only one in the tribe that knew of Hiccup’s tri-lingual ability, and though the tribesmen knew Hiccup lived with the dragons, they mistook his arrangements as being a mere pet to the beasts who called himself chief. Stoick glanced down at Hiccup, who merely stared up at him with determination in his eyes.

Stoick turned back to his people, then raised his hands to silence them, _< <Let us begin our ceremony! Bring the food!>>_

After, Stoick sat down, and three women stood to bring out the multitude of plate with meats, berries, cabbage, and, on the largest plate, a dragonhead. Hiccup pointedly ignored that plate, but was forced to eat the dragon meat anyway. When they all took their amount of food, Jack leaned closer to Hiccup and asked in a whisper, “What was all that about?”

“My father is quick to bloodshed.” Hiccup supplied him with, but didn’t care to explain further. Jack slowly ate, not wanting to appear rude, but the taste dragon meat supplied wasn’t exactly the best out there. When the feast came to an end, Stoick clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention, then gestured for the tribe to stay seated as he stood, throwing his leftovers into the fire. When he sat again, Hiccup poked Jack in the arm, then stood, Jack following quickly. They tossed in their uneaten food, then sat again, Hiccup casting Jack a proud smile.

“You are a natural.” Hiccup said with a chuckle, and Jack could only smile and blush at that. One by one, the people stood and tossed in their leftovers, the fire slowly growing and the smell of coal filled the air.

“That smell is the dragon meat burning.” Hiccup explained when he saw Jack’s expression, guilt running through his eyes. Jack pressed his lips into a line, briefly wondering if Hiccup had known the beast they just dined on, but he thought it rude to ask.

When the last person threw their food into the fire, Stoick clapped his hands again and announced, _< <Let us begin our display of the virgins!>>_

The tribe cheered and Jack couldn’t help but blush when Hiccup translated.

“It is a dance they do,” Hiccup explained quickly, instruments being passed through the tribe, “The young women will dance around the fire. Those too young to court will face the fire and offer their bodies to the Gods. Those old enough will dance to the man she wishes to court, and if the man joins her, they will be joined the first day of summer. “

Jack hummed in amazement, writing it all down in his notebook before the instruments began to play. The song was slow and languid, the single women standing and running to the space between the tribe and the fire. Some looked to be only eight years old, while others must have been at least thirty. A woman standing in the crowd, presumably married already, began to sing in their language, and those around the fire begun to dance, the younger girls much more simply than the older women. The older women, which Jack decided to pay attention to, would roll their bodies like a river, hands smoothing down their clothes and running through their hair. Most of them danced to the fire, but three of the women actually faced the crowd. They circled around three times before the three woman locked eyes with their choice, hips swaying in a figure eight and wrists rolling seductively towards their lovers. Two of the men stood and joined the women, never touching them, but they tried to match their movements with their own, rugged actions.

Jack bit his lip and begun scribbling furiously in his notebook, writing down every little detail he could and sketching some of them in action, and he only looked up when the tribe began to hoot.

The women were going back to their seats, the two who successfully courted sitting beside their future husbands. The music was still playing, however, and Hiccup looked to Jack.

“And now I dance.” He said with a smile. Jack looked surprised, sitting up straight.

“You have to court someone?” Jack asked, feeling his heart sink a little.

“As the chieftain’s son, whomever I court must dance with me, so I usually dance towards the fire.” He said, getting to his feet, “But I think this year I am feeling… it is time to court someone.”

Jack couldn’t help the deflated look on his face, and he only blushed when Hiccup laughed at him. Hiccup removed his yak-skin headdress and left it where he sat, walking towards the fire and stopping before it, no embarrassment at all. He must have been used to this. The song got a bit faster, the instruments a bit more complex, and when the woman sang again, Hiccup began his dance. It was rolling, like the women, but it had a hint of the ruggedness the men showed as well. Hiccup didn’t have too much hip to roll, but he made it work, and it worked amazingly well.

Jack could feel his throat run dry, eyes wide and jaw practically screwed shut. All he saw was Hiccup’s back as he danced towards the fire, but he could see his muscles –what  little he had of them—rolling with his movements, the way his bottom swayed back and forth, and even the gentle curling of his hands and wrists. Jack sat up straighter, slowly, then tore his eyes away from Hiccup as he circled around the bonfire to look at the others. No one else seemed as interested as he was, but they shouted and played their instruments just as they did with the woman, as though egging him on to dance.

When he circled the fire for the third and last time, he turned to face the crowd, earning a surprised gasp from every single one. Stoick’s eyes widened and he sat up straighter, watching closely to see who his son would dance too. Almost every single woman seemed to shrink back, trying to hide behind whomever they sat beside, not wanting to be paired up with the outcast dragon-boy. Hiccup circled the fire one last time, keeping them on their toes, and when he got back to facing his father and Jack, he stopped walking, rolling his body and setting his eyes on Jack.

The men jumped to their feet and hollered, Stoick spluttered a little, and Jack just froze, body filling with ice and embarrassment and utter excitement at the thought of Hiccup choosing him.

He’s just showing me what courting is like, Jack thought immediately, he doesn’t actually want to marry me.

More of the tribesmen jumped to their feet when Jack didn’t stand, chanting something at him and making Hiccup laugh.

“They are telling you to dance.” Hiccup said, stepping closer to Jack and squatting down to his eye level, still moving his body seductively.

“I… I don’t know how-“

“Then you will learn.” Hiccup nearly purred, standing back up and stepping back. Jack followed this time, getting to his feet and keeping his eyes locked with Hiccup’s. When he stood the same distance the men and women stood before, Hiccup told him to follow his movements, starting with a simple hip roll. Jack licked his lips and tried to imitate him, but ended up just as rugged and awkward as the men did. Hiccup smiled, then began to use his feet, stepping out, then back, then out, then back, in time with the music. Jack tried to follow, and he did pretty well.

Soon enough, they were circling the bonfire together, the men chanting as they stood and even the women calling out in excitement. The only one who was silent was Stoick, glaring at the two as they made their way around, presenting themselves to the crowd.

Once they reached the front again, the music stopped, the singer fell silent, and the tribe erupted in cheer. Even though Hiccup was the outcast, it was always customary to be thrilled at the marriage of a Chief’s son. Jack was surprised at all the support they had, then said to Hiccup in a low voice, “If two men danced together in America, they would be hanged.”

“Then I am happy we are not in America.” Hiccup said with a smile, bumping Jack’s hip with his own, making him lose balance just for a moment. They smiled at each other, but the happiness and cheer was silenced when Stoick stood.

 _< <Enough!>>_ He shouted, startling everyone. Hiccup and Jack turned to look at him, eyes wide, _< <This is a new low, even for you, Hiccup! You cannot court him! I will not allow it!>>_

_< <And why not? He is a suitable partner and has proven himself as my equal!>>_

_< <He is a foreigner! He does not belong here!>> _The tribe seemed to murmur at that. They knew Jack was foreign when they first set eyes on him, but hearing their chieftain say it made them doubt him.

Hiccup didn’t have much to reply to that, so instead, he pressed his lips together and glared at his father. Stoick squeezed his hands into fists and repeated, _< <I will not allow it!>>_

 _< <You are not my chief.>>_ Hiccup growled out, low enough for only Stoick to hear.

 _< <I am your father!>> _Stoick responded, slamming a foot down on the ground, much like Hiccup had before. They stared each other down for a while longer, but Hiccup couldn’t deny him. Instead, he lowered his gaze, brows knitted together and teeth grinding in rage and pain.

_< <He does not belong at your side. He is an outsider!>>_

_< <I am an outsider! Who’s side do I belong at, father?!>> _Hiccup shouted, eyes brimming with tears now, _< <You banish me, leave me to die, and tell me I’m not worthy, and now that I have someone that sees me for me, you tell me he is not suitable! If I am so precious to you, why do you shun me?!>>_

Stoick’s eyes were wide, suddenly finding himself at a loss for words. He saw the pain in his son’s eyes, the absolute betrayal, and when Jack reached out to take his hand, soothing his thumb over the back of his clawed glove, he saw a flicker of appreciation and relief, his body shaking with withheld sobs that he daren’t show the tribe.

 _< <Why do you shun me?!>>_ Hiccup repeated, begging for an answer now. The tribesmen looked to their chief, and all of a sudden, he felt a chain of community link them all together. All except him. He took a step back, the pressure to supply a suitable answer crushing him.

He relaxed his fists, then turned his attention to the tribe, lifting both hands in defeat. Instead of answering the question, though, he merely stated, _< <Let’s finish the ceremony.>>_

When the tribe began murmuring and sitting down, Stoick turned to his still shaking son, placing a hand on his shoulder and handing him his yak-skin headdress, _< <Go back to your tribe and calm down.>>_

Hiccup sucked in a shuddering breath, but nodded, pressing the heel of his palm against his eyes to keep from crying. He turned to Jack, taking his wrist and whispering, “Come….” Before dragging him away. The murmuring in the tribe doubled, but when they got quite a distance, Stoick shouted at them to pay attention, silencing them immediately.

Hiccup and Jack walked into the trees, then, and Jack pulled Hiccup to a stop, making the man complain about getting home. Jack pulled Hiccup closer, and he complained more, but when Jack wrapped his arms around the little chief, he stopped complaining and dissolved into shaking sobs, pressing his face against Jack’s shoulder. They stood like this for a while, until Hiccup finally calmed down enough to lead the way, hand tight around Jack’s wrist. He wouldn’t let him go back to the campsite tonight, but Jack was alright with that.

When they reached the cavern, the black dragon was standing outside, waiting. Hiccup saw him and clicked his tongue, then hissed out to him _‘I told you to wait inside! It’s dangerous for you here!’_

 _‘I couldn’t sleep without seeing you back safely.’_ The beast informed, standing up and trotting to them, then slowing when he saw the man’s tear-stained cheeks and red eyes, ‘ _Are you okay?’_

 _‘I will be. I just need to sleep…’_ Hiccup lied, squeezing Jack’s wrist gently and pulling him towards the cavern entrance.

 _‘You are taking the human?’_ The beast asked, following them and making sure his wings didn’t hit either of them.

 _‘Is that an issue?’_ Hiccup asked snootily, emotionally drained and physically exhausted, then he sighed and cooed out, _’Sorry… I just want to lay with him.’_

 _‘Mating season doesn’t start for a few more days, but I’m thrilled to see you might be joining us this time…’_ the beast said with a grin, making Hiccup’s cheeks flush and his energy come back to him. He shoved at the beast, smirking in embarrassment.

 _‘Toothless! You horrible thing!’_ He growled, happiness trickling back into his eyes. When Toothless glanced back at Jack, he saw him smiling too, happy to see Hiccup active again.

 _‘Shall I tell the others we will not be having our chief praying for our eggs this year?’_ Toothless quipped, shoving him and Jack lightly with his tail, making Hiccup laugh again. His laughter died away, though, and his eyes became sad once more.

 _‘My father says he doesn’t want me courting Jack.’_ He explained softly, and he got a snort in response.

 _‘Then it’s a good thing you’re not courting him!’_ When Hiccup shot Toothless a confused look, Toothless rolled his eyes and explained, _‘You’ve lived with us for two years, Hiccup. What do we do?’_

 _‘You… mate?’_ Hiccup said slowly, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

 _‘Yes! For life, even! We don’t court or marry or bond, we simply mate.’_ He said with a smile, but when Hiccup’s confusion stayed, he sighed loudly, resulting in a low, rumbling roar.

_‘What is so hard about understanding this?’_

_‘Well, isn’t mating and courting the same thing? I mean, you court to mate here.’_

_‘More like display ourselves to see who finds us compatible. We find a dragon with something equal to us in anything—social status, strength, wits, flying—and we have our three day test. See if we’re truly in-sync.’_

_‘And how is that not like courting?’_

_‘Well, for one, if we aren’t compatible, we don’t make such a big deal out of it. Also, if we_ are _compatible, we merely stay together. No big ceremony, no last hurrah._ ’ Toothless said with a flutter of his wings.

“Uh… I have… no clue what you guys are talking about.” Jack finally piped up, making Hiccup and Toothless flinch in surprise. They had forgotten about him!

Hiccup smiled at him, a weak one, then squeezed his wrist gently and said, “We are just… catching up.”

“Are you feeling better?” Jack asked next, and Hiccup nodded, smile growing a bit.

When they reached the pit, Hiccup led Jack to a wall of rock and stone, then started scaling it. Jack seemed nervous at first, but when Hiccup called out to him to hurry, Jack pulled himself up. It took him a lot longer than Hiccup to reach the ledge they were headed to, but when he got to it, he realized it was where Hiccup slept. There was a yak-skin minus the head laid out across the rock floor, a few weapons and a shield leaned up on the wall of the indentation.

Hiccup had removed his dragon-claw gloves while he was waiting for Jack to come up, his yak-skinned headdress already hanging on the wall, and he was removing his dragon-clawed shoes as well, slipping his feet out from them and wiggling his toes. Jack watched him, standing awkwardly, not knowing what was polite to do in this situation. When Hiccup saw him still standing, he looked up at him and gave him a reassuring smile.

“You can lay down.” He offered, nodding towards the yak-skin sheet. Jack glanced that way as well, then fidgeted a bit longer until Hiccup said, “You can take off your shoes and shirt if you want.”

“Oh... Uh… okay.” Jack stammered, kicking his shoes off quickly and reaching up to remove his shirt, but he paused. It wasn’t until he saw Hiccup unclasp his vest that he decided it was probably normal, and he tugged it off quickly, feeling his hair frizz. Hiccup’s laughter only confirmed his fear, but he just smiled it off. When Hiccup moved to the yak-skin to lay on top of it, Jack followed him, sitting down beside him cross-legged.

“Can I ask you something?” Jack asked, making Hiccup smile a bit and nod, getting comfortable where he lied. Jack seemed to consider his question for a moment, then asked, “How did you become the chief of dragons?”

Hiccup laughed a bit, laying on his side and resting his cheek on his bent arm, closing his eyes as he recalled it.

“When I was sent away, I already knew Toothless –the dragon I had caught—so I went to him for help. He brought me here, with the rest of the dragons, and he vouched for me. At first, I was nothing but a pet to them. They loved to baby me, and I was weak and sad, so I let them.

“Then the _Berserkrs_ tried to attack them, and I fought with them. Since I cannot actually fight, I went to talk with _Berserkr_ chief. I talked him down from the war, and even from violence overall. The dragons respect intelligence and charisma more than strength or speed, and they decided I was useful. I could speak the human’s language, and they do not like bloodshed when unnecessary.”

Jack seemed enthralled in the story, smiling wide and eyes twinkling in amazement, “That’s amazing… You’re amazing, Hiccup.”

Hiccup peeked up at Jack, cheeks tinting red, then he reached up and pulled Jack down by the back of his neck, forcing him to lay down. When the foreigner was on his side facing Hiccup, they both fell silent and just stared at one another, nervousness and infatuation flowing between their gazes. Hiccup’s hand slid from the back of Jack’s neck to his face, stroking his cheek slowly.

“Thank you for dancing with me…” He whispered, playing with his hair, “I am glad you did. I would have been shy if you did not.”

“You mean embarrassed?” Jack asked, and Hiccup smiled and nodded, “Well, you did say whoever you danced to had to dance back…”

Hiccup frowned, then, and propped himself up on his elbow, “Do you not want me, afterall?”

Jack looked surprised, then propped himself up too, stammering out, “But… I thought you were just teaching me…!”

“I was dancing to you! I would not choose lightly!” Hiccup huffed, cheeks flaring in embarrassment and shame. Jack shook his head quickly when he saw him start to curl in on himself, then grabbed his shoulder and locked eyes with him.

“I want you, Hiccup. Even knowing now that you were… were serious, I would still dance back. I just thought… me being a foreigner-“

“That means nothing to me. You are just Jack to me.” Hiccup said immediately, cutting Jack off.

They stared at each other, silent again, then Jack slid his fingers under Hiccup’s chin and pulled him forward, pausing just before their lips touched to give Hiccup the chance to pull away, then continued forward when he didn’t. When they kissed, he could tell Hiccup didn’t know what to do, so he just pushed him back against the yak-skin and took control, molding their lips together, then pulling away to turn his head and kiss him again. There were no tongue or teeth, Jack just wanted to feel Hiccups lips pressed against his own, but even then, he found Hiccup to be breathless when he pulled away. He could practically hear his heart pounding beneath him, and he smiled softly at him before he ran his fingers through matted hair, stroking his temple with his thumb.

“And you are just Hiccup to me.” Jack responded in a whisper, pressing their foreheads together. Hiccup laughed softly, closing his eyes and enjoying the closeness.

They jumped apart when they heard a familiar growl towards them, and when they looked, they saw Toothless across the pit, laughing at them.

“What did he say?” Jack asked, cheeks red as he moved off of Hiccup.

Hiccup seemed to contemplate whether he should tell him or not, then relented, “He says to save our energy for the mating season.”

Jack nearly died from embarrassment.

* * *

It had been a few days since Jack saw Hiccup, and he was getting a little worried. He thought the dragon’s celebration would be tonight, and there was still quite some time to go before night fell, but his anxiety was growing. Ever since Hiccup dropped Jack off, he’d been stuck at the camp. He was oddly unused to their way of living as it was far less free. He was scribbling in his notebook, sitting in his tent, when the tent flap opened and a head stuck in.

“Hey! You’re still here!” A loud voice shouted, making Jack yelp and drop his pencil.

“Jesus, Bunny, you nearly gave me a heart attack!” He heaved, clutching at his chest and giving the man a sheepish look. Bunny laughed a bit, then asked permission to come in before he sat beside Jack, fixing his fur coat before fixing the boy with a curious stare.

“So tell me, Jackie-boy, where have you been running off to the past few weeks?” Bunny asked, crossing his arms and leaning closer when Jack turned red and turned his head down. Jack scratched the back of his neck, trying to think of a good excuse.

“I’ve been trying to map out the place. Uh… I thought… since I’m your assistant, I should learn…” He murmured, making Bunny grin, displaying his two buckteeth.

“You’re lying to me, mate. You couldn’t give a shit if you were my assistant. Where’ve you been going?” He asked again, jabbing his elbow into Jack’s side, making him yelp and slide away.

Jack pressed his lips together, then sighed and rolled his eyes, “Just… promise you won’t tell Pitch!”

“I promise!” Bunny said, holding up a hand, “Scouts honor!”

Jack pulled a face, then took in a deep breath before stammering, “I… I met one of the natives…”

It became silent, then, but it didn’t last long. Bunny nearly jumped on him, hounding him for answers, “What?! But they’re supposed to be vicious! Which tribe is it?! Have you met the chief? Did you learn some of their language?! Tell me you’re going back! Tell me you’re taking me with you!”

“Stop it! Stop it, slow down!” Jack yelled, holding up both hands to try and calm him down, “Jeez, one question at a time!”

“Which tribe?” Bunny decided to start with, leaning away from Jack to give him space and staring at him intently.

“ _Lopt Dýr.”_ Jack answered with a shrug, and Bunny’s flat face told Jack that he didn’t believe him.

“Jack, there’s only two tribes on this island.” Bunny said, and Jack smiled wide.

“No, there’s not! Really, there’s a tribe in the caverns called _Lopt Dýr!_ They’re pacifists, apparently, and I met the chief!” Jack said excitedly, deciding to hold back the fact that the tribe was made of dragons and he was going to marry the chief, too.

Bunny still looked like he didn’t believe him, so Jack sighed and rolled his eyes, “Look, believe me or not, but that’s where I’ve been going! The chief of that tribe is also the son of the chief of the tribe _Hul._ That one I went to a few nights ago, they were holding a kind of spring equinox celebration.”

Bunny’s interest piqued and he leaned in again, arms crossed, “How did they celebrate it?”

“Well, they ate dr- er… dried meats and weird berries, first, then the women would dance to whoever they wanted to court. After that, the chief’s son got up and danced by himself.” Then he danced to me, and we danced together… Jack thought, cheeks heating up again, “But after that, the chief got mad and threw us out.

“What did he get mad for?” Bunny asked, brows furrowed. Jack just shrugged, smiling.

“Probably because I’m a foreigner. Hiccup didn’t translate.” Jack explained, rubbing the back of his neck again. At the name, Bunny seemed to perk up again, eyes wide and jaw slackened.

“You met Hiccup?” He asked, poking a finger hard against Jack’s chest. Jack frowned, rubbing his chest, then nodded.

“Uh… yeah. He’s the guy I’ve been tagging along with…” Jack muttered slowly, then asked, “Why? What’s up with Hiccup?”

Bunny leaned back, biting on the pad of his thumb as he thought, “I read a book all about the boy. Well, as much as the author could get. It was made when the last crew came, a year and a half ago. The writer said he ran into the boy when he got lost in the forests, and the kid led the man back to the campsite. He started seeing him more frequently, and soon started teaching him English. The boy was a genius, apparently, caught up amazingly quick.

“The writer got a little loopy towards the end, though. Started talking about animated yak corpses and dragons.” Bunny snorted in laughter, and Jack forced himself to laugh along.

“So that’s where he learned English…” Jack muttered, mostly to himself, but Bunny nodded anyways.

“I want to meet him so bad!” Bunny complained, letting his shoulders slump, “You have to let me tag along!”

“Sorry, cottontail, he’s a stubborn one. I don’t want to get on his bad side.” Jack chuckled, wondering what the man would be like if pissed off. Bunny just rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, then leaned forward and asked, “Well, can you at least get a picture of him?”

“I tried to draw him…” Jack muttered, fingering his notebook. Bunny snorted, then said, “Come on, take a real picture. I’ll lend you the camera.”

“I… I don’t know how to use that thing!” Jack stammered, “Plus, it’s so big! I don’t want to carry it around with me!”

“Then bring him here! We’ll all meet him, take his picture, and get to know him. It’ll be fun.”

“But… what if he doesn’t want to…?”

“Then he doesn’t want to, and we’ll have to go by your hideous drawings.” Bunny mocked with a grin, lightly nudging him with his elbow again. Jack laughed a little, then they both flinched when they heard a deep roar.

“The hell is that?” Bunny muttered, glancing up as though he could see through the tent. Jack wasn’t sure at first, but the second time he heard the roar, his eyes widened in realization. It was the black dragon, probably. Jack quickly crawled out from under his tent, notebook and pencil in hand, then he got to his feet and looked out towards the trees. He had to squint, and even then he had trouble, but eventually he spotted a pair of yellow-green eyes staring out at him.

“Jack, what are you doing?” Bunny asked, getting out from the tent as well and standing beside the man, glancing towards the trees, but not seeing what Jack did.

“I… I have to go. Um, cover for me! And don’t tell Pitch!” Jack said quickly, tucking the pencil behind his ear and grabbing his torn up fur coat before running towards the trees, “I’ll be back later! Uh… Maybe tomorrow!”

“Ask him for pictures!” Bunny called out after him, and Jack just waved in response. When he broke through the trees, he was immediately greeted by the beast, who clicked and cooed at him.

“Where’s Hiccup?” Jack asked, breathing lightly from the short run, “Wasn’t he supposed to come get me?”

The dragon merely chirped some more, then nodded his head forwards, indicating for Jack to follow. The man huffed, upset that he couldn’t understand the beast, but he followed anyway, walking beside him. For such a large animal, he didn’t walk too fast, and Jack was able to keep up without losing his breath.

They reached the water hole where Jack and Hiccup had seen each other, and when Jack gave Toothless a confused look, the dragon nudged him forward, then tapped the water with his foot.

“Do I get in?” Jack asked, but Toothless just gave him a blank stare. Jack bit his lip, looking down at the water. He got down on his knees, then dipped his hands in, cupping the water and lifting it to his lips. The dragon watched, and when Jack showed no signs of getting in, he merely shoved the man in with a flick of the tail. Toothless began laughing when Jack sat up in the water, spluttering and coughing.

“H-Hey! What was that for?!” Jack huffed, pushing his drenched hair out of his eyes and glaring up at the beast. Toothless just kept laughing, flopping onto his side comically and whacking his tail against the ground a few times. Jack just smirked and stuck his tongue out at the beast, then moved a bit deeper into the water, running his hands over his skin slowly. It must be customary for them to bathe before the ritual, but now his clothes would be ruined.

When Toothless called out to him in a huff, Jack hurried back over, climbing out of the water and immediately shivering. His clothes would freeze, he was sure. He started when Toothless nipped at his shirt, tugging at it until it started to slide off. Jack tried grabbing at it to keep it on, but the beast was stronger, and soon it was on the ground, leaving Jack’s chest bare and wet.

“It’s t-t-too cold for that!” He stuttered, teeth chattering and body shaking hard. Toothless grumbled, then breathed a hot breath over Jack’s skin, warming him up immediately. His shivering lessened, but he could already feel the wave of heat begin to ebb away. Toothless climbed up into one of the trees, jumping down with a branch of strange berries in his jaw, then he crushed the berries against his paw. He limped over to Jack, curling his tail around his back so he wouldn’t fall over as he pressed his paw in the center of his chest, dragging it down slowly before pulling back, leaving behind a deep red paw-print, claws and all. Toothless purred a little, then went back to the berries and scooped some more on his paw. Jack moved closer so Toothless wouldn’t have to go back and forth, and the dragon smiled at him before curling his tail back around him, using his claws to lightly paint designs over Jack’s arms and collarbone, then made a pattern running down his cheek.

When Jack begun to shiver again, Toothless blew against him, warming him up quickly as he finished painting. He turned Jack around at one point, making patterns on his back, and when he was satisfied, he chirped and stood back up, wiping his paw off on the snow. When Jack reached for his shirt, Toothless growled at him, making him flinch and step away.

“Jeez, it’s my only fur coat!” Jack whined, but his words were lost on the beast as he crouched down, nodding to Jack. It took a minute for the fact that Toothless wanted Jack to sit on him hit the man, and he shyly climbed onto the beast’s back, feeling awkward atop him.

Toothless lifted his wings to keep out the cold air, and Jack could feel heat radiating from his body, almost like he was laying on top of hot sand.

Toothless began to run, dodging trees expertly. Jack clung to him, arms looped as best around his neck as he could get and he watched the world pass by, smiling to himself. Soon enough, they reached the caverns, and Toothless let Jack slide off of him. The beast chirped happily, and begun walking in, Jack following him.

When they got to the pit, Jack let out a breath of amazement. The dragons were sitting on their ledges, roaring and chirping and some flew back and forth between ledges. He hadn’t seen them this active before, and it was amazing.

“Jack!” He heard, and he nearly fainted when he turned and saw Hiccup running towards him. Though he still had his dragon-claw shoes and gloves, he wasn’t wearing his vest or pants, wearing only what looked to be a dragon skin looping loosely around his bony hips, a short tail knocking on the back of his legs. He was painted, too, with two paw-marks going up, one from his chest and the other from his shoulder. A sun was draw around his naval, and the tattoo of a dragon he had on his shoulder was looking brighter. His face was painted, too, arrows running down his cheeks and a line running through his lips. He had a crown of dragon teeth on his head, which rattled when he ran.

“I am sorry I could not get you myself. I had to get ready.” Hiccup said when he stopped in front of the man, eyes taking in the paint on Jack’s body, then he turned to Toothless and said with a smile, _‘He looks perfect.’_

 _‘He better! I put a lot of effort into him!’_ Toothless huffed, smiling at the praise. Hiccup turned his attention back to Jack, taking his hands and leading him towards the pit, showing him where to sit.

“So… Will you tell me how this goes?” Jack asked, feeling nervous, but thrilled. Hiccup smiled and sat down with him, crossing his legs and rubbing his gloved hands together.

“First, we sing as a tribe, in order to appease our Gods. Then we eat, and this time, you can eat all of your food.” Hiccup began, unable to help himself as he ran his eyes over Jack’s paint, excitement sparkling in his eyes, “Then we start the trials.”

“Trials?” Jack asked, pulling his legs in as well and watching Hiccup’s eyes roam over him, feeling shy but confident at the same time. He was just looking at the paint, that’s all…

“Mhm. Dragons choose mates from their talents. They look for similarities in skill and abilities, even if it is just one. We have four trials, flight speed, strength, fire, and intelligence. Neither of us can take part in flight speed, but for strength, they often wrestle. They let me lift rocks instead, since I am too small, but I think I heard others saying they wish for us to wrestle. Fire is just how long or far one can shoot. You will not participate, I think. And for intelligence, we sing.”

“You sing for intelligence?” Jack asked, writing down as much information as he can. Hiccup laughed and nodded, watching Jack write.

“The more complex the song, the more intelligent we are. You will see.” Hiccup reassured him, then he stood and called out to the dragons, letting them jump down from their ledges and sit around the pit, quieting down so they could hear him.

 _‘My brothers! Sisters! The Gods are listening tonight! Let us soothe their temper and pray for strong eggs and healthy hatchlings! Let’s show our guest our strengths!”_ Hiccup called, getting a roar of agreement from his tribe. Hiccup began to sing, and one by one, the dragons joined in, their usually gruff, growling voices becoming soft and harmonic to Jack’s ears, the cavern walls providing great acoustics. Jack was sure the entire island would be able to hear them, but he laughed and smiled regardless, unable to join in on the song.

When their song dwindled out, a few dragons began bringing forth food, a much more bountiful collection than the _Hul_ had during their ceremony. Berries, fruit, yak, and sheep were passed around, Hiccup shearing pieces for himself and Jack with his claws before handing the meat to the next dragon. They cooked the meat over the pit like before, watching the dragons devour the meats raw, chatting happily with one another. Excitement rolled through the crowd, and Jack was thrilled just to be a part of it.

“Will you wrestle with me?” Hiccup asked him, looking eager to join in on his tribe’s strength test, “Since you are a guest, you are not expected to join, but…”

“I’ll wrestle.” Jack agreed with a smile, “It sounds like fun, anyways.”

Hiccup smiled excitedly, then bit into his yak meat, joining in on conversations when he could. Jack watched silently, taking notes and drawing as he ate, and when the feast ended, he flipped to a blank page and prepared for more notes. Hiccup announced the start of the trials, telling the dragons to take their places on the ledges.

There were only thirty or so dragons that mounted the ledges, the others sitting with their partners to watch. Only some of them looked mature enough to mate, but Jack was sure that, as with the dance the _Huligan_ women did, even the children would take part in their trials.

“They will race to the top of the cavern,” Hiccup told Jack, pointing up to where the light didn’t reach, “Others have placed an idol at the top, and the first to retrieve it and return will win.”

“Sounds simple enough.” Jack said with a smile, writing down the rules in his notebook. Hiccup laughed a bit, then looked up to the crouching beasts, noticing Toothless in the ranks.

_‘Ready, racers?’_

The dragons roared excitedly, and Hiccup laughed happily before curling his hands around his mouth, shouting, _‘Reach the idol!’_

The dragons thrust themselves from the ledge, launching upwards towards the idol. The dragons seated around the pit, along with Hiccup and Jack, got to their feet and cheered after them, stomping their feet and whacking their tails against the stone floor, Hiccup and Jack clapping their hands together.

It was over in mere seconds, Toothless coming down first with the idol in his jaws. He landed beside Hiccup, presenting him with the idol, then roared in victory when Hiccup announced the winner. The other racers came down, scattered, and not one of them seemed at all disappointed. Jack made a note of it in his book, unable to keep from smiling as the beasts celebrated.

When they settled enough, Hiccup lifted his arms to gain their attention, smiling excitedly.

_‘Our guest wishes to participate in our trials of strength! He and I shall wrestle at the end of these displays!’_

The dragons stared for a moment, but Hiccup’s wild grin didn’t falter. Jack asked what happened, but he went unanswered. After about a minute, the dragons began roaring and thumping their tails and feet, excitement rocking through them before they paired off.

“Will they wrestle one at a time?” Jack asked, and Hiccup shook his head before sitting down beside him again.

“They all wrestle with their partners, then match up again and continue until there is only one pair left. The winner is the strongest.” Hiccup explained, watching as the beasts began to ram into each other, playfully biting or lightly scratching in order to gain the upper hand.

“If blood is drawn, the attacker is out of the game.” Hiccup said, watching them all happily, “But no one is ever truly hurt.”

“That’s good…” Jack murmured, writing down the rules in his notebook before sketching out a few fights. This trial took longer than the race, but when the last two were fighting, every dragon and Hiccup cheered them on, shouting encouragement and tips in their tongue. The two dragons, a large, spindly one that caught fire and a stout, bulbous one that couldn’t seem to fly very high, smashed and tackled one another, trying to get the other to surrender or pin them beneath their bodies. Unsurprisingly, the larger dragon won, and celebrated with a proud roar that echoed throughout the caverns. Hiccup cheered for her, then turned to Jack with an excited grin.

“Just to be fair, I’ve never wrestled before!” Jack said, getting to his feet and kicking off his shoes. Hiccup laughed happily and removed his gloves and shoes, putting them on fair ground.

“I have in theory.” Hiccup said with a laugh, and they stood before each other, crouched and ready to begin. “Out of three?”

“Sounds good to me!” Jack said with a grin, and Hiccup echoed the rules to the rest of the tribe. They gathered around, roaring and thumping their tails rhythmically. Some began to sing, others chanted with growls, and Toothless began to laugh.

Hiccup bit his lip, then darted forward, surprising Jack. He slipped down to his knees, sliding a good two feet, then swung back up, catching Jack just below his armpits before tackling him to the ground, making him yelp and grunt when he hit the stone floor. The first thought that ran through the poor man’s mind was how this was definitely not like wrestling in America, then he pressed his foot against the floor and rolled them over, pinning Hiccup down by his shoulders. The dragon’s roaring got louder, and Hiccup fit his knees below Jack’s stomach, pushing up with his legs and flipping him over, successfully freeing himself. They got to their feet quickly, giving themselves distance, and when they looked at each other again, they grinned. Hiccup wasn’t strong, but Jack wasn’t exactly heavyweight.

Jack ran forward this time, but when he moved to wrap his arms around Hiccup’s shoulders and shove him down that way, the chieftain ducked, stepping out of the way, then swung his foot up, tripping the foreigner and sending him to the ground. He quickly got on top of him, grabbing his wrists and seating himself on Jack’s thighs. When Jack found he couldn’t get out, he groaned and let his head fall back.

“One for me!” Hiccup laughed, getting off of Jack and helping him stand. The dragons cheered for their chief, then a chant started to flow through them. Jack gave Hiccup a curious look, and he quickly translated, “They are chanting for you to win, now!”

They were both panting already, but the adrenaline and pure fun of it all kept them going. They crouched again, watching each other to see who would move first. Jack darted forward again, moving to grab him by the shoulders. When Hiccup ducked again, he rolled forward on his shoulder, turned back to Hiccup when he stopped on his feet, then grabbed his ankle and pulled him back, sending him to the ground face-first.

Hiccup cried out in shock, bouncing a little, then gasped when Jack pushed his legs to the side, pinning his knees to the ground with one hand and placing the other at the center of his chest, holding him. Hiccup shot his arms out to try and push Jack away, but he couldn’t shove him when he wasn’t able to lock his arms in place.

After a brief struggle, Hiccup let his arms fall to the side, huffing and sticking his tongue out at Jack, who returned the action.

“And one for me!” He stated, letting Hiccup go and pulling him up to his feet in return. They stepped back a few paces, and the dragons fell quiet, absolutely enraptured in the display before them. Jack licked his lips nervously, tasting the slight tang of the berries Toothless smeared on him, but he ignored it. Hiccup bit his lip again, chest rising and falling fast as he gauged the foreigner. A tempo of tail-slams began echoing throughout the cave, a calm beat in contrast with their sprinting hearts. When Hiccup moved forward, the beat stopped, all eyes on them. He slid down to his knees again, and Jack took a chance and ran towards him, timing it perfectly, and jumping right over him. The tribe held their breath, Hiccup getting back to his feet and turning as Jack used his momentum to roll. Jack began to turn while Hiccup launched himself towards him, toes scraping harshly against the hot rocks. Jack got to his feet, capturing Hiccup just at the waist. He lifted him, carrying the man on his shoulder, and he could hear him gasp when he was no longer moving forward. Their momentum clashed, but Hiccup’s won out, sending Jack toppling backwards and Hiccup forwards, still hung over his shoulder. The chief wrapped his legs around Jack’s torso, throwing out his hands to catch him before he hit the ground. His elbows bent and he tucked his head in, squeezing his legs tightly as to not let Jack go, then he rolled onto his back, legs still locked, and Jack was thrown against the ground, face-down and cheek pressed against Hiccup’s hip.

Jack struggled in Hiccup’s leg-lock for a moment, then used his feet to push himself forward, slotting himself between Hiccup’s thighs and using his weight to keep him down. Hiccup gasped again, eyes wide, and he struggled to roll them over. Jack grabbed Hiccup by the knees, spreading his legs further apart and making him cry out, hands slapping down against the ground and fingers digging into the stone.

 _‘Surrender!’_ He roared, then realized Jack didn’t understand and shouted, “Surrender!”

Jack let go immediately, pulling himself away and quickly realizing what, exactly, he had done. The dragons were silent. Eyes wide and jaws hung open. Jack had claimed victory over their chief, their chief who was currently laying on the ground, panting hard and rolling onto his side, legs pressed together and eyes closed. Jack panicked, opened his mouth to apologize, then the room erupted in roars. He flinched, afraid for a moment that they were angry, but when he looked to Hiccup, he saw he wasn’t dismayed or disappointed, he was _happy._

He sat up slowly, indiscreetly rubbing the inside of his thighs where he was stretched, and when the dragons started stomping their feet and tails again, Hiccup joined in by slapping his hands against the floor, laughing lightly, still breathless.

Jack’s fear turned into confusion, and he just knelt there, watching them all celebrate at their chieftain’s loss. Hiccup slid next to him, still trying to catch his breath, and he said, “Aren’t you happy? You won!”

“But… You lost…” Jack stated, thinking that was enough of a point. Hiccup just shrugged at that, licking his lips.

“Losing happens. I am happy I was able to wrestle for once. Anyways, I already know I am not strong.” He admitted, patting his biceps as though they were proof. Jack furrowed his brows, glancing at the still cheering dragons before asking, “But… Aren’t they upset their chief lost?”

“They know I am not strong, too.” Hiccup said uncaringly, then lightly shoved Jack, “Stop thinking! Have fun! That is what the trials are for!”

Jack gave him an unsure look, but with the cheering and roaring dragons, and the smiling Hiccup beside him, he just had to join in. He finally broke into a smile, then lifted both arms in victory, erupting a new wave of elated roars.

Hiccup soon got to his feet, helping Jack up as well, then lifted a hand to calm the rowdy tribe. When they quieted down, Hiccup panted out, _‘Wrestling is hard!’_

The tribe begun to laugh, some of them cooing _‘Precious chieftain!’_ and others calling out for him to wrestle them. Hiccup grinned wide, then lifted his hand again, announcing the time for the fire trials to begin.

They all circled around the pit, Jack and Hiccup standing beside one another again, and Jack leaned towards the chief and asked in a low voice, “So… how does this trial go?”

“First, the single-shot dragons will fire towards the top of the cave. The furthest shot is the winner. Then, the deep-breath dragons will fire, and whoever is left last is the second winner.” Hiccup explained quickly, then added, “You will not be participating, though.”

“Will you?” Jack asked, quirking a brow and thinking himself sarcastic. When Hiccup nodded, Jack’s face dropped and his eyes bugged, “How?!”

“You will see!” Hiccup laughed, then motioned for the single-shot dragons to get together on one side of the pit. Lining up were about ten dragons, Toothless included, and on Hiccup’s mark, they shot towards the ceiling, Jack having to cover his ears at the intensity of multiple shots going off at once.

When the cave shook and rocks tumbled from the ceiling, Hiccup called out to one of the already mated dragons to check. When she returned, she announced proudly that Toothless had won again, making the black dragon hop happily and flutter his wings, praising himself as the others cheered him on.

“Toothless has won for the past two seasons.” Hiccup pointed out to Jack, stomping a foot in cheer for his friend, “That is the same time I joined them.”

“He must be very popular, then!” Jack said with a grin, and when Hiccup snorted, he quirked a brow.

“Toothless is solitary. He does not want to mate, but he will not tell me why.”

Jack furrowed his brow, then looked around at the other dragons, “Well… he is the only one of his kind here, isn’t he?”

Hiccup hummed lightly, glancing around as well, “True. But mating is not always about hatchlings. And sometimes, hatchlings come from different dragons.”

Jack hummed, opening his notebook and writing that down, then snapped his head up when the other dragons began lining up, Hiccup leaving Jack to stand at the end. Toothless trotted over to Jack, sitting down beside him and growling out what Jack could only guess to be a greeting. He smiled at him, lifting a hand in a wave. Toothless glanced at his hand, then raised a paw, pressing it against Jack’s hand before looking him in the face. Jack snorted in laughter, then said, “No, wave.” He moved his hand away, waving his hand. Toothless watched, narrowed his eyes, then lifted his paw again, swinging it back and forth like Jack.

“There you go.” Jack said with a nod, and Toothless grinned and waved some more before turning his attention back to the trials.

When Jack turned back as well, he saw Hiccup with a stick, pressing it into the pit until it caught fire. He pressed a pouch to his lips, not drinking from it, but filling his mouth, then he glanced at Toothless and nodded. With a roar, the dragons took in a deep breath, Hiccup doing so as well. All at once, fire erupted forward from the mouths of each beast. Hiccup sprayed the liquid in his mouth at the fire, shooting the fire forward in a stream as it lit up what must have been oil. He dropped the stick, then, letting it fall into the pit as he sustained the stream of fire.

Jack couldn’t refrain from cheering in surprise, laughing out a disbelieving, “No way!”

Surprisingly, Hiccup wasn’t the first whose flame died out. Unsurprisingly, Hiccup definitely wasn’t the last. When his fire died out, he spat a few times, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing the berry juice from his lips. He looked over to watch the flames dwindle one by one, panting lightly again, and when the last two dragons were left, the spindly, fire-catching one, and a smaller, pointier one that shot out a sparkling fire, they began to chant again.

Jack stomped his feet along with them this time, getting approving looks from the dragons around him. Finally, the spindly dragon stuttered to a stop, and the cave erupted in cheer once more. The spikier dragon tapped her feet in a short dance, fluttering her wings and shaking her head. When she stopped, she merely cooed happily to herself, the spines on her tail flexing.

Hiccup went back to Jack, grinning proudly of himself, then said, “I think that is my best trial.”

“I thought you would excel at the intelligence trial.” Jack said with a grin, making Hiccup’s cheeks colour.

“I am not a good singer…” He admitted, rolling his shoulders a little, then asked, “Will you join again? They will love your song.”

“I just sing anything?” Jack asked, suddenly feeling nervous. When Hiccup nodded, Jack just shrugged and nodded, “I… I guess. Just for fun, right?”

Hiccup smiled and nodded again, “Just for fun.”

They all circled around the pit again, sitting down and getting comfortable. When the caves had quieted down, Hiccup sat up a little straighter and cleared his throat, not having to announce this trial like the rest.

When he began to sing, he started with a very simple melody, rising up and down in a narrow tone, creating a nice, conjunct tune. Jack watched him sing, forgetting to close his loose jaw or keep the enraptured look from his eyes. Hiccup’s own eyes were closed, focused completely on his song. He swayed side to side slowly, then jumped to a new idea, this one disjunctive with a wider range of notes. He seemed to be improvising, but it still sounded good. He repeated the first melody again, adding a slight variation, then transitioned to a third melody, ending in a _ritardando_ of the first melody. When his voice petered off, he opened his eyes and smiled. There were no cheers, but they swung their tails against the ground to make a scraping noise instead, almost like polite clapping. When Hiccup looked at Jack, his eyes widened and his cheeks coloured. Jack snapped back to reality, realizing he was just staring at the man, and he turned his head away.

The next dragon began to sing, and Hiccup whispered to Jack, “You will sing last. It is customary.”

“Okay.”

Song after song was sang—or rather, growled—each one being more or less complex than the last. One particular singer stood out, a two headed beast that could harmonize with itself, and while it wasn’t the only one of its kind to participate, it did hold up a very catchy beat. When it finally reached Jack, he glanced at Hiccup, then out to the crowd before licking his lips and closing his eyes.

He decided to sing the melody to _Moonlight Sonata_ , as that was the only song that would pop up in his head under pressure. His voice would crack sometimes, unused to singing, but he worked through it and reached the ending, forcing himself to peek an eye open to see the dragons staring at him in wonder.

One of them began to chirp, and Hiccup translated, “Stormfly asks if you are taught.”

“I… I rarely sing…” Jack stammered, and Hiccup translated it quickly. The room erupted in roars, and Hiccup looked surprised. He got to his feet, raising his hands to try to calm them before roaring himself.

_‘Calm! Calm down! If he says he is not taught then he is not taught!’_

_‘He is lying!’_

_‘He is cheating!’_

_‘He does not play truthfully!’_

“What’s going on?” Jack asked, worried. Hiccup glanced at him, then licked his lips nervously before looking back to his tribe, gesturing for them to calm. When they didn’t, roaring even louder instead, Hiccup pressed his lips into a line, annoying with being ignored, then cupped his hands around his mouth and roared, easily breaking through the commotion. Jack had to cover his ears again.

When Hiccup had everyone’s attention, he dropped his hands and glared out at his tribe before spitting out, _‘I am ashamed of you!’_

The dragons looked surprised, then lowered their heads, gazes turning towards the pits.

_‘You claim you are mature to play in the trials, but when one guest comes and bests you all, you immediately point tails and teeth! If he is a liar, what does that make of you?!’_

His growls echoed through the caves, and when he felt Jack touch his arm, he softened his gaze and looked at him, apologizing under his breath. Jack tried to smile, then said, “It’s okay, Hiccup. You don’t have to stand up for me.”

Hiccup pressed his lips together again, then shook his head and turned back to his tribe, crossing his arms, _‘So has our guest won?’_

He was met with silence, at first, until Toothless decided to chirp out, _‘Our guest prevails!’_

Slowly, the dragons joined in with the shout, a few hissing them under their breaths instead, but it still came. Hiccup nodded in satisfaction, then smiled at Jack and said, “You are most intelligent. You are a good mate.”

Jack turned red at that, then cleared his throat a few times and turned his head down, hand rubbing at the back of his neck, “Th-thank you?”

When the decision was made, Hiccup clapped his hands together and announced _‘Participants! Line up!’_

The thirty or so dragons lined up together, Toothless standing towards the end. When Hiccup didn’t move forward, Toothless growled at him to come. Hiccup’s eyes widened and his face fell, and suddenly the rest of the participants were chanting for Hiccup to join them.

_‘I-I cannot mate!’_

_‘You have a suitable mate behind you!’_ Toothless called, and the rest of the dragons continued their chant.

_‘But father-‘_

_‘We are not father! We are dragons!’_

A chant of _‘Dragon! Dragon! Dragon! Hiccup, come! Hiccup, come!’_ began, and Hiccup’s face grew hotter.

“What’s happening?” Jack asked, making the man flinch and blush harder.

“They… they want me to join the line-up…” Hiccup said, feeling the blush run down to his shoulders.

“Well, why don’t you? I’m single too, we can line up together.” Jack offered, nodding towards the crowd of trial participants. Hiccup made a hopeless noise in the back of his throat, but didn’t struggle when Jack grabbed his wrist and tugged him towards the line-up. The dragons roared victoriously, Hiccup covering his face with his free hand, but he was beginning to smile.

The non-participating dragons sang to them for a minute, and when it was over, the participants immediately darted off to their individual shelves carved into the stone wall.

“So what happens now?” Jack asked, turning to Hiccup who was still positively red.

“The trial dragons go to their shelves, and if they wish to mate, they will visit the shelf of their choice. They will begin mating immediately, if they are both willing. There is a three night period where one may visit the others and ask to mate with them.” Hiccup explained, keeping his eyes downcast, “I usually go to the mountaintop by now, but… since I’ve joined the line-up, I…” He cleared his throat, then looked up at Jack, “I will get a dragon to guide you back to your camp. I am happy you came, Jack.”

And with that, Hiccup let out a brief roar, getting the attention of Stormfly, the dragon that had won the fire trial, then turned and darted for his shelf, climbing up the wall quickly. Jack watched him go, surprised, and when Stormfly trotted over to him, he bit his lip and thought for a moment. Stormfly cooed at him curiously, and when Jack looked up at her she tilted her head, then nodded up at Hiccup’s shelf, cooing something else. When Jack gave her a confused look, she rustled her spines and begun digging in the stone, drawing with her claws an arrow pointing to Hiccup’s shelf, then a crude stick-figure of Jack at one end with a crude stick-figure of Hiccup (wearing the yak-skin headdress) at the point of the arrow.

Jack smiled a little, understanding. She wanted him to go to Hiccup. He looked up at her, then held a finger to his lips, indicating silence. She rustled her spines again, then quietly stalked off back to her shelf, watching Jack as he went to the wall. He tested the stones for a second, then glanced back at the pit to see the dragons paying attention, eyes set on him. His cheeks heated up, and he waved his hand for them to look away. From the shelf just above them, he saw Toothless wave back. He had to bite his lip to keep from laughing aloud.

When he decided he didn’t really care if the dragons saw him go to Hiccup, he began to climb the wall, slow and clumsily, but he went with determination. When he hoisted his torso up onto the shelf, he saw Hiccup sitting with his back to the crowd, sharpening one of his daggers slowly. His shoulders were slumped and his shoulder blades rolled with each scrape of stone against metal, and the noise covered Jack’s strained grunt as he finally clawed himself onto the shelf completely. He heard a few roars of what he could only assume to be either laughter or support, but Hiccup still didn’t turn. Jack glanced back at the dragons, seeing them all still watching, and he gestured towards Hiccup, silently asking what he was supposed to do.

Almost every dragon gestured to his or her mouths, implying Jack should say something. The foreigner swallowed thickly, then turned towards Hiccup, who was still sharpening his dagger, and he took a few steps towards him.

“Uh…. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, but…” He started, making Hiccup practically leap out of his skin and turn around, eyes wide and mouth hung open.

“Jack?!” He yelped, getting to his feet, “St-Stormfly was supposed to take you home! You can’t be up here, if the others see-“

“But you said that’s what they did, right?” Jack cut in, silencing Hiccup to dumb surprise, “They go to the shelf of the one they want to… to mate?”

Hiccup sucked in a breath, dropping the dagger he had been sharpening so he could fidget with the claws on his gloves, “What… are you saying, Jack?”

Jack pressed his lips together, glancing over his shoulder to see they were still being watched, then turned back to Hiccup before asking, “Do you want to… um… maybe… be my… uh… partner. Er… mate, I mean…”

Hiccup fidgeted more, beginning to stammer in all three languages, completely flustered. They both jumped when Toothless roared at them, and when Jack looked to Hiccup to translate, the chieftain pressed his hands against his face in embarrassment and stammered, “H-he said to m-mate already…”

Jack smiled a little, then took a step closer to Hiccup and gently put a hand on his shoulder, tilting his head and getting Hiccup’s attention, “I want you, Hiccup.”

“I want you, too….” He whispered, putting his hands on Jack’s chest, then sliding them up to loop around his neck, pulling him closer and shyly pressing their lips together like Jack had done before. Jack moved his hands to Hiccup’s bony hips, holding him close as they kissed lightly, the sound of cheering dragons serving as fantastic background noise. When they pulled away from each other, Jack licked his lips nervously.

“So… what now…?” He asked, feeling his heart pound at what he knew the answer to be.

Hiccup bit his lower lip, then looked down at Jack’s chest, tracing the outline of a painted claw on Jack’s torso, then whispered, “We mate…”

Jack nodded a little, then cleared his throat and asked, “Will… will they watch?” He nodded back to the pit where the dragons still cheered, and Hiccup laughed softly and shook his head no.

“We are private creatures.” Hiccup stated with a shrug, pulling Jack further into his shelf, then letting go of him to remove his gloves and shoes before sitting on the yak-skin, legs folded beneath him. He looked up at Jack expectantly, and the foreigner took a few nervous breaths before sitting in front of him on his legs. Hiccup smiled at him, reassuring him, then took Jack’s hands in his own, letting him feel the trembling in his fingertips.

He took in a light breath, then said in a gentle voice, “The men of my father’s tribe would talk of… this. They often wrestled to determine who would be the woman, but… We have done that already.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll do whatever makes you happy.” Jack said quickly, letting Hiccup’s fingers slide between his own, squeezing his hand gently. Hiccup bit his lip, then looked Jack in the eye before saying, “I… I want to be the woman.”

Jack just nodded, feeling his throat begin to run dry. Hiccup brought Jack’s hands closer to him, then continued, “They told me that it was different than having a woman. Dryer. Rougher. They said to use my tongue to wet my partner… if I ever had one…”

“Well, now you do…” Jack said with a dry voice, the thought of Hiccup’s mouth on him already spurring reactions he never thought he would have for another man. Hiccup smiled excitedly, nodding mostly to himself.

“They said my partner would wet me too. Um, would wet my… uh…” He struggled to find the word, pressing Jack’s hands against his mouth as he thought, eyes closed and lips pursed, “My bottom?”

Jack felt a shudder run through his body, and he nodded almost immediately, squeezing Hiccup’s hands again, “Y-yeah…?”

Hiccup swallowed thickly, nodding, then looked down at Jacks hands and said, “They told me that my partner would use their tongue and fingers…. So…” he spread out the fingers on Jack’s right hand, breath shuddering in nervousness, then he took Jack’s first two fingers into his mouth, closing his eyes and sucking lightly. Jack gasped shakily, eyes wide as he watched, and he could feel his groin throb, his pants growing particularly tight when a hot tongue pressed flat against his fingers, licking up them. He licked his fingers a few more times, sucked lightly again, then let Jack slide his fingers from Hiccup’s lips, a string of saliva connecting them until it snapped. Jack was already breathing heavily.

Hiccup licked his lips, then gently pushed Jack against the yak-skin until he was laying down. He shyly pulled apart his dragon-skin wrap, letting it fall to the floor and displaying himself to his soon-to-be mate. Jack stared, chest rising and falling faster. There were designs drawn on the inside of Hiccup’s thighs and down his legs as well, and when Jack reached out his dry fingers to trace along them, Hiccup trembled hard, gasping lightly. He gently pushed Jack’s hand away, then straddled his torso backwards before leaning down, hands pushing at Jack’s pants. Jack lifted his hips so they slid off easily, briefs being pushed down as well, then Hiccup made a soft noise in the back of his throat.

_< <Oh, Gods, this will be worth the wait…>>_

“H-huh?” Jack breathed out, but Hiccup shook his head and smiled back at him before turning his attention back to Jack’s dick. He licked his lips, then experimentally swiped his tongue along the head. His hands gripped Jack at the base to keep him still when he couldn’t add pressure, then licked again, really tasting him. Jack shuddered beneath him and bit his lip, not wanting to moan for the rest of the cavern to hear. Hiccup hummed softly, licking the head again, enjoying his taste and the way he felt. After a few more swipes of tongue, Jack thought it time to reciprocate, so he forced himself to pay attention and he brought his still wet fingers to Hiccup’s ass, slightly unsure of what to do, but he figured he knew the gist of it. He pressed his first finger against him, hearing Hiccup make a noise of approval before licking him again. Jack licked his lips, then pressed his finger in, jaw falling open as he felt Hiccup’s heat encompass his digit.

Hiccup whined when he was penetrated, toes curling, then relaxing. He forced the rest of himself to relax as well, wanting to feel more of Jack inside, and he resumed his attention to his cock. He wrapped his lips around the tip of Jack’s dick, sucking lightly and running his tongue in circles, feeling Jack’s hips twitch in a restrained buck. The finger inside of him sank in deeper, then slowly pulled out before pushing in again, getting him used to the feeling. They worked at each other slowly, taking their time, getting used to each other’s bodies, and they loved it. When Hiccup asked Jack to do more, Jack simply added his second finger, stretching him wider and making the chieftain groan and shake. His fingers still moved slowly, but now Jack was able to explore the use of spreading his fingers. When he found he was able to push his anal muscles further, Jack quickly licked his finger on his left hand, then removed his second finger from Hiccup, getting a disappointed noise from the man. When he pushed in his other pointer finger, Hiccup grunted and took more of him in his mouth, sucking.

Jack started to pull his fingers apart, watching him spread open, and Hiccup pulled off of Jack to moan, not caring about the dragons. Jack smirked a little, then pulled his fingers out to grab Hiccup’s hips and pull him closer, making him gasp. Hiccup had to lean forward a bit more to keep licking Jack’s cock. Jack just pushed in his fingers again, pulling him apart and this time pressing his tongue in. Hiccup nearly choked on his dick, eyes popping open and practically melting at the feeling. Jack wasn’t exactly enjoying the taste, but the way Hiccup shuddered and moaned and rolled his hips back against the muscle made it worthwhile.

“Jack….” Hiccup moaned, pressing his fingers into the skin of Jack’s thigh, “Mate me…. Please…”

Jack pressed his tongue deeper, feeling his teeth scrape against his skin. He could swirl his tongue a bit, spreading his saliva throughout him, and when he finally pulled back, Hiccup hurried to sit up, turning around so he was facing him, still straddling him. His cock bounced whenever he moved, precum dripping from the tip, and Jack pressed his thumb into it as Hiccup settled on Jack’s hips, their dicks bumping against one another.

“Th-the woman usually gets on his hands and knees…” Hiccup stammered, but Jack clamped his hands down on his thighs to keep him there, not wanting him to get up.

“I want to see your face while we do this.” He said gruffly, not even giving him the chance to get up, “You can lay on your back if you want. Will that be more comfortable?”

Hiccup thought about it, then nodded, “I think…”

Jack then looped his arms around Hiccup’s waist, lifting him up easily and flipping them over, laying Hiccup down on his back and slotting himself between his legs.

“Well, this feels familiar…” He said with a grin, and Hiccup laughed a little and spread his legs further, hooking them around Jack’s waist.

“This time there is no surrender, though.” Hiccup practically purred, making a shudder run down Jack’s spine.

“So I just… press in?” Jack asked softly, gripping the base of his cock and looking down at where they’ll join. Hiccup hummed in affirmation, resting his hands palm-down on the yak-skin, gripping it tightly in anticipation. Slowly, the head of his cock pressed against Hiccup’s hole, the saliva making him slide a bit before actually pressing past the ring of muscle. They both held their breaths, Jack sliding in slowly. Hiccup gasped first, chest heaving and fingers digging into the yak-skin desperately, the stretch beginning to burn. The saliva wasn’t going to sustain them for long, but Hiccup would just have to bear with it.

“Jack…” Hiccup breathed, eyes half-open and back arched slightly. Jack’s hands ran up his sides, one lingering at his chest to follow the patters and designs that decorated him, brushing lightly over his nipples. Hiccup’s back bent further and he shivered, lifting his own hand to push at the other bud, giving himself the same stimulation. Jack smirked a little, then took Hiccup’s hand and pulled it down to his cock, encouraging him to stroke himself. He did so, slowly, but he paused when Jack began to pull out, face contorting in obvious pain.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked, freezing immediately and frowning down at the man. He merely nodded, panting hard.

“I am okay… I will be okay…” He panted, pumping himself again, “It is… just rough…”

Jack made a face, then pulled out of him completely, getting a shocked look from the man beneath him. He sat up quickly, thinking he had done something to upset Jack or turn him off, but Jack stopped him and put his hands on Hiccup’s shoulders, pushing him back down.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Hic…” He whispered, leaning down to kiss him, “This is supposed to be about pleasure, right?”

“B-but… to mate…” Hiccup stammered, looking embarrassed now, hands discreetly trying to cover himself up, but Jack wouldn’t let him.

“Trust me.” He said with a smile, kissing him again, “Let’s just… learn about each other right now.”

“Learn…?” Hiccup whispered. Jack’s hands begun playing with his chest again as he knelt between his legs. He pressed his fingers against his nipple, watching him arch his back and sigh in delight. Jack grinned and used his other hand as well, making Hiccup writhe beneath him, hands gripping at his cock again and pumping a bit faster.

“There… see? Isn’t that better?” Jack asked softly, pinching his nipples gently, then scraping his nails down his body, the paint coming off in jagged lines. Hiccup let go of himself, then, using his legs around Jack’s hips to push them over, straddling him again. Jack looked up at him, surprised, and Hiccup just rolled his hips down, their cocks sliding against one another. He kept rolling down, letting his head fall back and moans drifted from his lips, Jack’s hands gripping his thighs tightly and moving with him to increase the pressure. Their breathing got faster and Hiccup’s legs began to shake, but he stopped moving and instead started to lick the palm of his hand, looking down at their dicks with an idea.

When his hand was wet, he took the both of them in his grip, pressing them together and _finally_ eliciting a moan from his partner, who quickly tried to choke it down in fear of the dragons hearing. Hiccup smiled a little and begun to stroke them, feeling his body jolt with pleasure.

“Do not be quiet, Jack. Virgin mates announce their bond to each other like this…” Hiccup said softly, getting a surprised and embarrassed look from his partner. He choked down another moan as Hiccup’s hand moved faster over them, then closed his eyes and let himself relax. His head dropped back against the yak-skin and he shyly moaned, the concave shelf they were in amplifying the sound for the rest of the pit to hear.

Hiccup laughed softly, leaning down to kiss Jack’s chin, then he ran his tongue along Jack’s lower lip, feeling him shiver beneath him. He worked his hand faster, moaning into Jack’s mouth, then gasping when Jack ran his fingers through Hiccup’s hair and pulled him down for a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss. Their tongues stroked, searched, and tapped through their mouths, enjoying their flavors, the slight tang of the berry juice from their lips fuelling their desire. Jack began rolling his hips again, sliding in and out of Hiccup’s grip, rutting against his leaking cock. Hiccup started moving his hips as well, going opposite with Jack’s movements. They both moaned together, Jack no longer restraining himself, then Hiccup began chattering in his native tongue, eyes half-lidded and unfocused and a cute string of saliva linking their lips.

Assuming he was close, Jack slid his hands down to Hiccup’s ass, squeezing it gently, then rubbing his no-longer wet finger against his hole, making his hips buck forward and a cute whine tear through his throat. His legs were shaking, as were his arms that were holding him up above Jack, but he kept rocking his hips in earnest, pushing back against Jack’s teasing fingers, then forward to grind against his cock. Jack just stared up at him, unable to describe him any other way than completely blissful. Hiccup looked like he had reached seventh heaven and still ascending, and then his jaw fell open and his entire body stiffened, a loud, long moan echoing through the shelf and out into the pit. Jack felt his stomach get covered in Hiccup’s cum, hot and slippery and it made Jack feel victorious. He made him come undone like that, he got Hiccup to make that face.

He slowed his rocking hips when Hiccup stopped moving, his entire body shuddering and he whined a little when his sensitive dick was touched. Jack carefully rolled them onto their sides, holding Hiccup close. He started rubbing his back, slowly calming Hiccup down. He muttered something in his language, and when Jack gave him a confused look, Hiccup looked sheepish and repeated in English, “You have to finish…”

Jack just smiled, then kissed Hiccup slowly, slipping his hand between them to quickly jerk himself off. Hiccup sighed through his nose, kissing him back just as slowly, eyes sliding shut. Jack nearly jumped when he felt Hiccup’s fingers press against the head of his cock, gripping him near the center, and sliding his hand up and down. Jack sighed against his lips, letting himself go to let Hiccup do the work. He moved his hand faster, kissing Jack’s chin, then his throat, letting his teeth scrape against it. When Jack finally came, he did so with a grunt, covering Hiccup’s wrist and chest with his seed.

“Next time, we will mate properly.” Hiccup promised, and Jack was too tired to claim about this being proper as well, “I will be better prepared…”

“Hiccup,” Jack sighed, eyes sliding closed and arms wrapping around his little chieftain, “As long as I get you to finish like that, I’ll categorize it as a proper mating session.”

Hiccup blushed at that, though Jack couldn’t see, and he pressed himself closer to him, smiling into his chest. They laid like that for a while, slowly falling asleep, until Jack asked in a whisper, “Is there anything else I need to know about the next three days?”

Hiccup hummed, opening his eyes halfway and tracing the smeared paw marks on Jack’s chest slowly, “You will have to stay for all three days, or else the dragons will assume we are not compatible. We will spend most of the time here, mating. In the morning, I will go hunt with the others, and in the evening, we will all eat around the pit. On the third day, we will announce whether we want to be mated for life or if we wish to part ways…”

Jack nodded a little, eyes still closed, and he nuzzled his chin against the top of Hiccup’s head, “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Hiccup smiled and kissed his sternum, then closed his eyes and fell asleep with him, absolutely loving the closeness.

* * *

 

 _‘You mated loudly the other night!’_ Toothless chirped as he, Hiccup, and a few others walked through the snowy forest, two yaks and three sheep already being dragged behind them, but they still hunted.

 _‘We did not mate. We only touched._ ’ Hiccup said with a touch of disappointment. Toothless made a surprised noise, and the other three dragons seemed to lean in to hear, also curious.

 _‘You did not mate?! But you finally have him! Why wouldn’t you want to mate with him?! Don’t tell me you’re incompatible!’_ Toothless growled it out like it was a curse. Hiccup suddenly turned red, looking embarrassed and pulling his yak-skin headdress down over his face to cover it.

 _‘It… It hurt more than I expected. Unlike you, human males don’t self-lubricate. Everything’s just… dry.’_ He explained, and the four dragons snorted in disbelief.

 _‘Humans! They’re like unfinished creatures!’_ The dragons quipped, then laughed when Hiccup waved a claw at them to quiet, still embarrassed. Toothless laughed along, then decided to help his friend’s predicament.

 _‘Why don’t you use oils to help? We can gather the snow-flowers and have one of the dragons extract its oils.’_ He suggested, hoping to help the little chief. Hiccup peered up at Toothless through the eye-holes in his headdress, curious.

 _‘Will that work?’_ He asked, nervous about it hurting again. The other dragons agreed with Toothless that it would, but the zippleback, Barf and Belch, quickly added, _‘With or without the oils, it will hurt at first, little chief. It will be quite a stretch, if your mate is in adequate size.’_

Hiccup bit back the urge to mention how “adequate” Jack was, and he simply nodded, chewing at his lip.

 _‘Don’t be scared, though! It truly feels great when you are used to it. You just have to relax!’_ The thunder drum, Thornado, added.

 _‘And breath through the initial pain._ ’ Barf instructed, and Belch added, _‘and when you’re mating, you can squeeze and drive your mate nuts.’_

Hiccup was getting redder and redder, but luckily, the conversation didn’t stay on him for long. They heard a bleat of a sheep, making them all pause, and Hiccup quickly gestured for them to spread out. One sheep meant a herd, and if they circled around them, they could get at least five of them. Hiccup crouched down, hiding himself in the bushes, making sure the others were in position before he attacked.

They returned to the caverns with seven sheep, three yaks, and even a snow wolf, which Hiccup was planning to skin and use its fur as boots or a coat for Jack. Also in their arms was a bushel of snow-flowers, which Hiccup quickly brought to one of the dragons and asked them to extract the oil for him. Immediately catching on, the beast hid away the flowers in their shelf and promised to have the oil by that night, before he retired to his shelf with Jack.

And when he was free of the embarrassment, he finally saw Jack, who was conversing as best as he could with the others around the pit. He had been given a dragon-skin wrap, like Hiccup had worn the day before, but it was smaller, and it tied at his hip, displaying the expanse of his left thigh. Some of the female dragons were circled around him, claws dipping in the same red berry juice from before, painting delicate designs over his pasty skin. He was laughing lightly, the claws no doubt tickling him, and when he spotted Hiccup, he quickly got up and went to him, the three dragons cooing at him to come back so they could finish, but he didn’t understand them. Hiccup smiled at him, running his fingers over the swirling, fire-esque designs over his biceps and chest, the vague dragon wings spread on his back branching off in swirls that coiled down his spine.

“They love to paint you.” Hiccup said softly, letting his hand linger on Jack’s skin, loving the way he could feel his muscles roll just beneath, the way he shuddered when he was touching sensitive parts of him.

“I think they want me to look good for you.” Jack said with a smile, looking down at himself, “Did it work?”

“It worked very much,” Hiccup laughed, bringing his wandering hand to his lips, kissing his finger tips, then gently sliding them over Jack’s mouth, an intimate yet publically acceptable way of showing his affection. Jack smiled, kissing his fingertips, then he put his hands on Hiccup’s hips and pulled him a bit closer, cheeks a faint pink colour.

“Do we, uh… go to your ledge?” He asked shyly, tilting his head towards Hiccup’s shelf. The chief smiled, ran his fingers through Jack’s hair, then said, “You go. Wait for me. I have to speak with Toothless first.”

Jack nodded quickly, excitement twinkling in his eyes, and he hurried to Hiccup’s ledge, climbing up quicker than before and hoisting himself onto the flat surface. He was getting better at climbing the wall, Hiccup thought as he headed for Toothless, who was helping the other dragons skin their catches and prepare them for eating. When Toothless saw him coming, he smirked a little and turned his attention to him, tail twitching mischievously.

_‘Shouldn’t you be doing something right now? Or should I say, doing someone?’_

_‘You’re a terrible dragon!’_ Hiccup gasped, cheeks turning red as Toothless and the other two dragons chuckled. Hiccup pursed his lips, then cooed out, _‘I just… need advice.’_

 _‘Mate troubles already?’_ Toothless asked, looking genuinely concerned now. Finding one incompatible with their mate within the first day was common, but Hiccup didn’t have a large selection to choose his mates from. A chief without a mate was always a worrying thing in the dragon community.

_‘Not really… Not yet. It’s just... I wonder if Jack stays with me after these three days… will he regret it?’_

_‘Ah, our little chieftain is self-conscious!’_ One of the other dragons chuckled, skillfully shaving the yak with his claws, _‘It happens a lot amongst virgin mates. Listen to me, young chieftain. If your Jack doesn’t leave you within these three days, you have nothing to worry about!’_

 _‘But how can three days reflect a lifetime?’_ Hiccup asked, nervousness etched in his body language.

 _‘How does a year reflect a lifetime? All living things change with time, it’s whether or not you’re willing to change with them.’_ The dragon said with a shrug, lowering the yak in his grip, _‘When you truly join as one, you will stop doubting.’_

Hiccup made a doubting face, lowering his gaze to the ground. When Toothless chuckled, he looked up curiously, raising a brow at him.

 _‘Your mate is growing impatient.’_ Toothless said with a simple nod of his head. Hiccup turned, looking up at his shelf to see Jack standing at the edge, hand pressed against the wall of the shelf, watching Hiccup. Jack lifted a hand in a wave, and Hiccup couldn’t help but smile and wave back.

 _‘Do not worry about the future.’_ Toothless suggested, pressing his nose against Hiccup’s shoulder, _‘You should be tending to your loyal mate.’_

 _‘Loyal?’_ Hiccup scoffed, giving Toothless a confused look, _‘He has been here for a day so far.’_

_‘Yes, and I’ve heard others talk about how he would not come down from your shelf without ample coaxing, and even then he refused to be near others. They almost had to drag him down to feed him, silly creature.’_

Hiccup smiled at that, looking back up at Jack again, then biting his lip, _‘He is pretty funny, isn’t he?’_

 _‘They all are—humans.’_ Toothless quipped with a grin, _‘Particularly you, dragon-tongue._ ’

Hiccup stuck his tongue out at Toothless, then decided to join Jack in his ledge, not wanting to keep his lover waiting much longer.

* * *

 

It was towards the end of the second-night feast when the dragon came to Hiccup, a small bladder filled with what he immediately knew to be the snow-flower oils in her mouth. She hid it well, sitting beside the young chief and ducking her head, as if sniffing his sheep thigh, and she dropped it into his lap before snatching the meat. Hiccup laughed, the act of stealing food from one another a typical display of playfulness. It was never seen as a bad thing, mostly since there was always enough food to go around, and it definitely tore away any attention from the small bladder Hiccup was currently tying around his shoulder, underneath the yak-skin he wore. Jack leaned towards him, a curious look on his face.

“Is that normal?” He asked, offering Hiccup his own meat as replacement. Hiccup blushed at the offer, and he took only a few bites, letting Jack hold the bone as he did.

“It is acceptable.” Hiccup said after he swallowed the meat, picking at his scraps a bit longer before tossing the bones into the pit, “If a dragon is still hungry and sees another is not finishing their food, they often steal it. They will give it back if there is a fight, but usually we do not mind it.”

“Your culture is amazing. Very different from mine. We would be beaten to a pulp if we stole from each other. Thrown into jail, even.” Jack said slowly, munching lightly on his food, not wanting to speak with a full mouth.

“What is jail?” Hiccup asked, looking at Jack with a quirked brow. Jack hummed and sat up a bit straighter, thinking of a good way to explain it.

“Usually, if someone does something bad, we put them in… a kind of box that they can’t leave. We feed them still, but they stay in the box until we decide they learned their lesson.” Jack said, pressing his lips together as he thought of anything else to add, “Sometimes, if you do something really bad, you’ll be kept in the box for the rest of your life. Other times, they’ll just hang you.”

Hiccup’s eyes widened, and he asked nervously, “What would bring death to a community member?”

“If they murder someone, usually,” Jack explained, “An eye for an eye, you know?”

“I have not heard that before.” Hiccup said softly, then he linked their hands together and said, “We do not kill. Dragons fight and hurt, but they never kill.”

Jack smiled a little, then muttered, “Perfectly imperfect…”

After the feast, Jack and Hiccup retired to Hiccup’s ledge, curling up against one another and just touching. The sound of the others mating echoed through the caves, but they didn’t pay attention to it. All that mattered to them was each other at that moment, and the way they felt under their hands and lips.

“I have something for us.” Hiccup said, pushing himself up and untying the bladder from where he hid it, “It is to help us mate… Since we are dry.”

Jack quirked a brow, propping himself up on his elbows and eyeing the bladder curiously. Hiccup’s hands were shaking, but his eyes screamed excitement. He opened the bladder, then poured a bit of the oil on his fingers. The smell of the snow-flowers wafted into the air, filling their nostrils, but it wasn’t overwhelming. Hiccup ran his oiled fingers down Jack’s chest, then pulled back, waiting to see if he reacted badly to it.

When his skin didn’t redden or blister, Hiccup smiled in relief, then held the bladder out to Jack, who took it reluctantly. He sniffed the contents, then peered down the nozzle of the bladder.

“Will you try it?” Hiccup asked, hoping Jack would say yes. All he wanted was to have Jack inside of him, and he was willing to risk embarrassment by asking another dragon to make a lubricant for him. He just hoped it would work.

Jack hummed in thought, then grabbed his notebook and wrote down a few notes—something Hiccup was getting used to—before looking back at the man and smiling.

“I’d love to.” He said, getting an excited yet nervous smile in return. They shed themselves of their clothing, Jack’s body paint stopping at his hips like a shirt. Hiccup straddled Jack’s waist, running his hands up and down his thighs, briefly squeezing, then brushed his fingers against the base of Jack’s half-hard dick, massaging it until it stood. He reached for the bladder, but Jack held it out of his reach.

“Ah, ah, wait!” Jack said with a grin, getting a frustrated groan from Hiccup, “I have to get you ready before you jump in like that.” He explained, slowly lowering the bladder back to his chest, then pouring the oil on his fingers. He rubbed it between his fingers, testing its consistency, then he slid his other hand to Hiccup’s ass, squeezing it and pulling him up more on his body. His oiled fingers rubbed along Hiccup’s hole, making him shudder, moan, eyes slide closed, and bite his bottom lip in anticipation. When he pushed in his first finger, it slid in much easier than before, sinking down to the second knuckle until Jack met with resistance. Hiccup had dropped his jaw, already knowing this was going to work much better than before.

Jack slid in his second finger, stretching him slowly. He watched him closely for signs of pain, but Hiccup didn’t show any. He rocked his hips back when Jack began to thrust them, sliding them in deeper and deeper with each thrust. Soon, he was down to the very ends of his fingers, pressing them in as far as they could go and letting Hiccup rock his hips against his hand, moaning for him.

“Now?” Hiccup asked, breathless and impatient. Jack grinned a bit, then nodded, pulling his fingers out of his mate and pouring more oil into his palm, rubbing it on his cock. Hiccup shuffled down Jack’s body again, watching him stroke, then he positioned himself over him, letting Jack guide him down. When he felt the tip of his cock press into him, Hiccup closed his eyes, breathing in slowly to relax. As more was pushed in, Hiccup began feeling the stretch again. Knowing it was normal, he merely hid the slight pain from Jack, dropping his head down and letting his hair cover as much of his face as it could. Jack didn’t notice, and when he was as deep as he could go, he began to massage Hiccup’s hips, breathing shallow.

“Ready?” He asked in a whisper, getting a small nod in response. Slowly, Hiccup lifted himself up on his knees, feeling Jack’s cock slide out smoothly, the stretch lessened just a bit. He let out a shaky breath, then slowly sat back down on him, stretching again.

No burn. No roughness. It was perfect.

“Good?” Jack asked, his hands shaking with restraint. Hiccup licked his lips, then took Jack’s hands in his own, leaning on them a bit as he lifted himself again, looking Jack in the eyes. As he slowly moved, he became more accustomed to the feeling, the stretch no longer hurting so much.

“Yes…” He whispered, finding himself almost breathless. Jack smiled, then he slid his arms under Hiccup’s thighs and rolled them over, staying inside of him as they went. He pressed Hiccup onto his back, slowly pulling out, then sliding back in, gaining control. He started with an easy pace, still focused on Hiccup and watching for any signs of discomfort. The young chieftain just closed his eyes, mouth hanging open in delight and legs spreading wider for Jack to move. When he began to moan, Jack moved faster, pushing Hiccup’s knees to his chest, then down to the side when he needed more space. Hiccup let Jack move him as he please, like putty in his hands. He laid on his side willingly, Jack’s weight on his knees and hip just intensifying the feeling of him sliding in and out, like that was the only thing that mattered in the world at that moment.

The longer Jack was in him, the more instinctual he became, grunting and groaning with Hiccup as he thrusted harder, nails biting into his skin and mouth finding the vein that ran down his neck, licking and nibbling at it gently. Hiccup clenched his muscles every so often, shivering when he heard Jack moan his name in delight and thrust faster, wanting to get as much out of it as he could before Hiccup relaxed again.

It wasn’t until Jack hit a sensitive part inside of Hiccup that the chieftain really cried out, back arching and toes curling. Jack grinned a wicked, sexy grin and he began slamming into that spot. Hiccup continued to cry out and moan, Jack’s name on his lips every time that spot was struck. The cave walls practically echoed with their cries, the dragons in the pit snickering and Toothless curling up with his back to the duo in his own shelf, pressing his ears to his head and chuckling to himself. With a final, desperate whine of Jack’s name, following by a low growl of Hiccup’s, the noises quieted and all that was left in the shelf was panting.

They kissed lazily, Jack’s chest pressing against Hiccup’s, their stomachs sticky with Hiccup’s release and bodies wet with sweat. When they finally caught their breaths, Hiccup ran his fingers through Jack’s hair and whispered, “That oil will be gone by the end of the third day…”

“That oil will be gone by the morning.” Jack said with a grin, and Hiccup laughed breathily against his lips. They kissed again, tongues occasionally brushing along lip and teeth. Soon, Jack decided to pull out of him, slowly inching his hips back much to the displeasure of Hiccup, but they both knew he wouldn’t be able to stay in him forever. They laid side by side, hands running over their bodies, playing in their mess, until Hiccup propped himself up on an elbow.

“You have yet to teach me to draw.” He reprimanded him with a smile, and Jack chuckled and rubbing Hiccup’s hip before nodding.

“Now is as good as ever, right?” Jack said with a shrug, and Hiccup smiled excitedly before he got up and pulled on his pants, not caring about the trail of cum running down his thighs. Jack had to bite his lip when he saw it, stomach fluttering in delight. Hiccup grabbed Jack’s notebook and his pencil before going back to him, sitting cross-legged, and opening the book to a blank page. Jack sat up, then took the dragon-skin wrap he had been given to cover himself with before sliding up behind Hiccup, chest against his back and legs on either side of him. He slid his arms around Hiccup’s waist, earning a smile from the young chieftain.

“Hold the pencil like this…” Jack instructed softly, taking the pencil from Hiccup’s hand and holding it properly, the edge of where it just began to tip pinched between his thumb and pointer finger and the bottom end balanced against his middle finger. Hiccup studied his hand carefully, bending his fingers to mimic the shape, then he took the pencil from him and held it as Jack did, using his other hand to keep it in place.

“That’s it, just like that.” Jack said with a smile, running his fingers through Hiccup’s hair, “Try drawing a circle, first.” He placed his pointer finger on the paper, running it in a small circle near the top left corner of the page, close to where the binding was. Hiccup watched his fingers, then pressed his left hand against the book to keep it flat, his right hand hovering over the page with a shaky hand before he pressed the pencil tip down, drawing a crooked, messy circle-esque polygon. Jack laughed and Hiccup glared at him, then Jack took the pencil and flipped it over, erasing the marking and making Hiccup gasp.

“My circle!” He said, pretending to be offended, but his smile told Jack otherwise. He handed the pencil back, urging him to try again. Each circle Hiccup drew was a failure, though, and he was beginning to get frustrated. Jack kissed his cheek gently, rubbing his shoulders reassuringly and trying to get him to calm down.

“It’s okay, Hiccup, you’ll get it eventually.” He tried saying, but Hiccup just grumbled in his native tongue and threw the pencil across the shelf, right hand still clutching the book. When the pencil ricocheted off of the wall, Jack’s eyes grew in realization.

“Do that again.” Jack said, getting a confused look from the man. He glanced around for a minute, then picked up a loose rock and threw it with his left hand, watching it bounce like the pencil.

Jack smiled wide, then looked down at Hiccup and sing-sang, “I know what your problem is!”

“The pencil is broken, that is the problem!” Hiccup huffed, crossing his arms, then gasping when his backrest was suddenly standing and retrieving the pencil. When he sat behind Hiccup again, he held out the pencil, but took Hiccup’s left hand and placed the pencil in his hand.

Hiccup took it, immediately looking more comfortable with the feeling. He gave Jack a wondering look, then turned back to his page covered in non-circles. He found an empty space, shakily pressed the graphite against the paper, then swirled his fingers and wrist, constructing a smoother, more circular object. While it was unconnected and more elongated than it should have been, it was still better than his polygonal shapes.

Hiccup’s jaw dropped, then he smiled and laughed at the pencil, as if he had forced it to bend to his will. Jack cheered for him, hugging him close, then they began to kiss again. At first it was chaste, but it quickly turned needy, Hiccup’s body turning into his touch, chest pressed against bare chest.

“I’m not going to sleep at all tonight, am I?” Jack said with a smile, and Hiccup laughed lightly and shook his head.

“We have a lot of mating to do.” He whispered, wrapping his arms around Jack’s neck, hand going to the back of his head to pull him into another kiss.

* * *

 

Jack was dressed once more in his civilized outfit, his shirt still torn and his pants charred and messy. His shoes had holes in the toes that snow snuck in through, but he didn’t worry about frostbite. Hiccup had created a wonderful wrap from the snow wolf fur, which was currently hanging over his shoulders, clasped over his right shoulder by a dragon tooth. Hiccup walked beside him, yak-skin headdress pulled over his face, eyes peering through the holes in the yak skull. He wore his vest, pants, dragon-clawed boots, and gloves, which were sharpened and tight on his limbs. Jack was going back to his campsite tonight.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this? There’ll be a lot of people…” Jack said, giving Hiccup the chance to turn and run for the caverns again. The chief shook his head, smiling at Jack.

“You want me to come,” He said softly, scraping his claws together, “And I must still learn about your tribe.”

Jack smiled, then gently took his hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the middle claw. Hiccup blushed a gentle red, turning his hand over so Jack could kiss his fingertips. When they reached the edge of the beach, they stopped walking.

“I’ll go first. I don’t want you here if I think they’ll do anything to you.” Jack explained, squeezing Hiccup’s hand. Hiccup nodded slowly, then took a step closer to Jack and pressed his hand against his chest, over the wrap and his shirt.

“Thank you, Jack. For choosing me.” He said softly, referring to the last three days they had just shared. Jack smiled, laying his hand over Hiccup’s.

“You chose me first.” He said, then he slowly stepped away, gesturing for Hiccup to stay before he emerged from the trees.

The campsite was abuzz with energy, man after man running around, writing things and examining equipment. Jack watched them, surprised. He had never seen them so active before, he must have missed something big.

“Jack!” He heard Bunny shout, making him turn and face the tall man as he rushed to him. His hands went to Jack’s shoulders, mouth running a mile a minute as he ran his eyes over him, “Thank God you’re okay! Jesus, Jack, you can’t just take of like that! We had no idea what happened to you, mate, once you left, a horrible, roaring noise came! It sounded on and off again for the past three days! We have no idea what it was, but, God, I thought you were dead!”

“Roaring noise?” Jack repeated, surprised. He put his hands over Bunny’s, coaxing him to let go, “Where did it come from?”

Bunny shook his head, pressing his hands together anxiously, “We think it came from the volcano,” He nodded towards the dragon’s mountain, making Jack’s brows rise in surprise. Had they been that loud? “It’s still active, and we were worried it was going to blow.”

“Well, it doesn’t seem—wait a minute, still active?” Jack turned back to Bunny, eyes wide, “You mean it could blow any minute?”

“That’s what active means, mate.” Bunny stated, having no patience for Jack’s antics. Jack looked back to the volcano, surprised and a little unsettled. He just spent three consecutive days in an active volcano. Why would the dragons decide to live _there_ of all places? Perhaps they didn’t know it was a ticking time bomb.

“Where have you been, anyway? You look a mess, Jack. Don’t tell me you got lost in the forest!” Bunny complained, picking at Jack’s wolf-skin wrap in interest, then looking down at his pants in disgust.

“N-no, no, I was… Uh… Well…” Jack laughed a little, cheeks colouring. He began to stammer, finally settling on, “I convinced Hiccup to come, but… Everyone seems too busy.”

Bunny’s ears perked and he grabbed Jack’s shoulders, squeezing them, “He’s coming? Here?! You convinced him?!”

“Well, actually, he’s already sorta here…” Jack laughed out nervously, and Bunny looked like he was going to collapse from his excitement.

“Where is he?” He asked quickly, popping his head up and looking around quickly. Jack smiled a little, then, as he and Hiccup had talked about, pressed his thumb and forefinger into the corners of his lips, whistling loudly. Bunny flinched back at the noise, his ears sensitive, but he perked up again when he heard the whistle echo back. Jack turned, watching the tree line with Bunny as a yak head peeked out from the bushes.

“What?” Bunny whispered, about to turn and yell at Jack for pulling his leg, but he was silenced with a quick wave of Jack’s hand. The yak head tilted, and Jack lifted a hand for him, telling him it was fine. The yak head nodded just barely, then the rest of him came out, body hunched and claws bared, ready to defend himself if he needed to.

Bunny gasped loudly, eyes wide as the figure tentatively drew close. Slowly, the rest of the campsite stopped, eyes on Hiccup and unnerving the chieftain.

“Is… Is that…” Bunny whispered, then he gripped Jack’s forearm, making Hiccup’s eyes narrow as he came closer. He drew back an arm, ready to make a cut if the man didn’t let go of his mate immediately.

Jack just grinned, nodding a bit, “Hiccup…” He muttered almost dreamily, then he tore his arm away from Bunny’s hand and went to the chieftain, seeing him relax when he was in touching distance. Bunny watched them in fascination, noticing the hand run up and down Jack’s arm, the look shared between the two, and the way Jack shifted from foot to foot.

“Hiccup, this is Aster Bunnymund. We call him Bunny for short.” Jack introduced them after walking Hiccup closer to the taller, older man. Hiccup eyed Bunny curiously, then lifted a hand in greeting.

“Hello.” Hiccup said, making Bunny grin and a few eavesdropping scientists gasp and rush over, beginning to crowd them. Hiccup’s eyes narrowed under the mask, shoulders tensing, but Jack slipped a hand underneath the yak-skin headdress to rub his back, smiling at him reassuringly.

“You are the one who wanted to take a photograph?” Hiccup asked next, flashing Jack an appreciative look, tapping the dull side of his claw against Jack’s hip. Now Bunny narrowed his eyes. He glanced at Jack, but his eyes were stuck on the man beside him.

“That’s right. For documentation purposes.” Bunny explained, eyes sliding back to the masked face of Hiccup, not missing the defensive stare he was being given, “And it would be great if you could take the headdress off.”

“That will not happen. That implies we are equals.” Hiccup stated flatly, a few more scientists finding their way over, watching the man. Hiccup glanced around him, then said, “Is it right that you will leave when you have your information?”

Jack’s rubbing hand stalled, but another gentle tap from Hiccup seemed to relay any and all reassurances Jack needed, and his hand began rubbing again. Jack’s eyes swam with worry, now, and he finally looked at Bunny, his pleading look only just overtaken by one of surprise when he found Bunny was giving him an inquisitive look.

“Yes,” Bunny said, eyes still on Jack, almost warning him as he spoke the next words, “Once we have our information, we will _all_ leave.”

He saw Jack’s throat move, eyes falling down to the snow-sand, then his hand was pulled back to his side, fidgeting with the wolf-skin wrap he wore. Hiccup glanced at him, sensing the tension, then he turned back to Bunny, eyes set hard and chin tilted down, for the sake of covering his face further.

“Then we will take the photographs.” Hiccup said with finality, then glanced around at the crowd before adding, “Just the three of us.”

“Just the three of us.” Bunny quickly agreed, shooing away the scientists and telling them to get back to work. Hiccup watched with slight relief, then followed Aster and Jack as they led him to a large tent. Inside, there stood a white backdrop, a stool, and a large camera set up quite a distance away.

“We take pictures of the entire crew weekly,” Bunny said, gesturing to the camera, “Just for the memories, really, but it’s fun anyway. It’s also a great way to keep track of anyone who dies.”

“Luckily, that hasn’t happened yet.” Jack added at the end, narrowing his eyes at Bunny, then seating Hiccup on the stool, which he rested on uncomfortably.

“Can we get just one picture of you without the yak-skin?” Jack asked gently, stroking the horns slowly and looking Hiccup in the eyes. Hiccup hummed softly, looking down at Jack’s stomach, reaching up to pick at the snowflakes on his shirt.

“Only if you are in it with me.” Hiccup bargained, and Jack grinned before agreeing.

“We’ll take it last.” Jack said happily, letting go of Hiccup’s horns and going back over to the camera where Bunny stood.

When they were side-by-side, Bunny bending over and looking through the camera, setting it up, Bunny said to Jack, “You’re going to tell me what happened when he leaves or else I’ll go to Pitch and explain the situation.”

Jack’s eyes widened and he stared down at Bunny, but the man didn’t say anything more. Hiccup made a noise in the back of his throat, getting Jack’s attention. He had seen Jack’s sudden change and he was worried. Jack just forced a smile, holding up a hand to silently tell him he was alright. Hiccup lifted his own hand, then glared at the camera when Bunny cleared his throat.

When the first picture was taken, Hiccup flinched and blinked hard at the flash of light, holding up a hand to cover the eyeholes on the mask. Bunny muttered to himself, then called out that they would be taking the next picture. Hiccup kept his eyes open this time, snarling a bit at the camera. Jack had laughed at that, and Hiccup’s lips twitched upwards.

Picture after picture was taken, Hiccup sitting still for the camera, but pulling the occasional glare or snarl to get his point across that he wasn’t doing this just because he wanted to. He had to get them to leave, especially before his father decided to go on his ‘purge’ spree.

When Bunny announced they were going to take their last picture, Jack rushed to Hiccup. The chieftain smiled, then removed his headdress, standing and laying the yak-skin on the stool behind him. Jack went to his side, standing close to the man, and they shared a grin. Bunny watched them, disbelieving. Hiccup looked to be around Jack’s age, much too young to be a chieftain. He was shorter than Jack, as well, but he looked remarkably cleaner than other tribe members Bunny had seen so far. When he was caught staring by the young chief, he quickly looked down at his camera and cleared his throat.

“I do not like him.” Hiccup whispered to Jack, but he didn’t so much care if Bunny heard him or not, “He makes you unhappy.”

“He’s my friend, he’s supposed to make me unhappy.” Jack said with a smile, taking Hiccup’s hand and squeezing it reassuringly, “Plus, why would I want anyone else to make me happy? I’ve got you.”

Hiccup smiled at that, then said, “I guess I do a good job.”

Bunny cleared his throat again, getting their attention, “I’d like to take the picture, now, if that’s okay with you lovebirds.”

Hiccup sneered at him, but Jack just laughed, wrapping an arm around Hiccup’s shoulders and pulling him close, making him stumble and lean against Jack’s side, then grin and place a hand on his shoulder, resting his cheek on the back of his hand. Bunny clenched his jaw, then took the photo, promising himself to keep from developing that particular image, even though it was the only one he had of Hiccup’s face.

When it was all done, Jack walked Hiccup to the edge of the forest under the watchful eye of Bunny and five other wandering researchers. They whispered to each other, Hiccup lightly tugging Jack towards the trees, but Jack refused. He would get in a lot of trouble if he went, particularly with Bunny.

“You will come when you can, right?” Hiccup asked, running a claw down the front of Jack’s wolf-skin wrap, sending a shudder down the man’s back.

“I’ll come. I promise.” Jack replied, catching Hiccup’s hand, then bringing the claw up and kissing the dull side, making him blush and bite his lip. Hiccup then reached up, pulling his headdress down completely, then turned and took off into the forest.

Jack waited a few minutes, then anxiously walked back to Bunny, who was waiting for him with crossed arms. Jack began fiddling with the wrap, staring down at the snowy sand, then yelping when Bunny grabbed his wrist and tugged him towards his tent, shoving him in before getting in himself. They sat cross-legged, Jack refusing to look at Bunny, but he spoke anyways.

“So, uh… He’s nice, isn’t he?” He laughed weakly, still fiddling with the wrap.

“I think ‘nice’ is an understatement.” Bunny grumbled, then leaned forward, forcing Jack to look at him, “What did you do? Where were you the last three days?”

Jack swallowed thickly, then glanced to the side before saying, “I might’ve, uh… gotten married… sorta?”

“You _what?!”_ Bunny screeched, eyes snapping open and arms dropping into his lap, “How did you manage to stumble your way into _marriage_?!”

“Well, there wasn’t a ceremony or anything! I mean, I guess there was, but it was just….” He groaned and covered his face with his hands, “Look, I was at the tribe during their… he called it a celebration, where they displayed their talents then chose a partner, a mate. He made me take part—well, not _made_ , exactly, I mean, I wanted to join—and when it was all over and done with, he just…. He just went back to his shelf like he wasn’t even excepting anything a-a-and he had danced to me first and I though w-well, _he_ likes me, and I like _him_ , so… So I went to his shelf and-“

“Okay, okay, hold on, wait, I think you need to start from the beginning, there, because I have absolutely no idea what you’re rambling about!” Bunny huffed, and Jack ground his teeth before taking in a few calming breaths.

“Okay, a week or so ago, Hiccup took me to his father’s tribe—don’t ask me to explain, it’s a long story and you _will not_ believe me. They were holding a ceremony—honestly, I have no idea what it was for, Hiccup didn’t translate anything after his father pissed him off—and the women would dance to the men they wanted to court, and if the men danced back, they would marry. After _that_ , Hiccup told me that he was going to dance, and that whoever he danced to would have to join him in marriage, and he danced to me, and I… I _had_ to dance back, okay? I… I guess I wanted to, anyway…

“Then after that, I guess his dad flipped his lid because he kicked us out of the ceremony. Hiccup told me he meant it when he danced to me, but didn’t really… finalize it, y’know? He just let me leave without saying anything more about it.

“Then he took me to his tribe’s mating celebration—another thing I’m not going to explain, because you _really_ won’t believe me. I took part in the celebration, then he told me that they would all go back to their shelves—er, caves—and wait for someone to join them or go join someone. They would mate for three days, and if they found themselves compatible, they’d become permanent partners.

“Well, he just went right back to his cave without asking me to join, and he told me to go home, but… but… I just _really_ wanted to join him, s-so I did!”

“Oh my God,” Bunny breathed, running a hand down his face, “You bumped uglies with a chief.”

“Y-yeah…” Jack murmured, cheeks glowing red and smile growing on his face.

“For _three days._ ” Bunny said next, a bit louder. Jack nodded dumbly, smile growing wider. Bunny scoffed, then shyly asked, “How… How was it?”

“Let’s just say, when people call them primitive, they _mean_ primitive.” Jack practically growled, biting his lip as he recalled Hiccup riding him, desperate noises rolling off his tongue, body slicked with sweat and cum, littered with teeth marks he was sure the man still wore.

Bunny made a face, then was forced to ask for scientific purposes only, “Did you document it…?”

Jack’s cheeks flared, then he cleared his throat and lifted his little notebook, “I… I wrote the important parts down…”

But when Bunny reached for the notebook, Jack quickly pulled it back to his chest, keeping the man from grabbing it.

“But you’re not going to read it. No one is. This is _my_ research, and I don’t want Pitch getting all the credit!” He quickly said, and Bunny made a noise.

“What, you don’t trust ol’ Aster Bunnymund with your dirty little secrets? I’m hurt.” He complained, reaching for the notebook again, but Jack wouldn’t relent.

“I’m serious! You wouldn’t believe half the stuff in here, anyways!” Jack huffed, lifting a foot in preparation to kick the man in case he tried again, cradling the precious notes to his body.

“Can’t say I won’t believe it if you don’t give me the chance to read it!” Bunny pointed out, and Jack seemed to think about that for a minute.

“Promise not to tell Pitch? Or anyone?” Jack asked, and Bunny crossed his heart with his fingers.

“Promise, I’ll take it all to my grave!” Bunny said loyally, giving the man a reassuring smile. Jack thought some more, then sat up again, crossing his legs.

“I hope that day comes soon.” He bit out with a grin, then held out the notebook, already feeling his heart pounding. Bunny took the notebook, then Jack stopped him from opening it.

“R-read it when I’m not right in front of you!” He stammered, cheeks red and hands shaking, “I don’t want to hear your remarks!”

Bunny smiled a bit, then asked, “Must have either been really bad sex or really, _really_ good.”

Jack blushed more, then muttered an insult as he pushed past the man, slipping out of his tent and heading to his own to sleep.

Bunny regarded the notebook in his hand, then got comfortable in his tent before opening the book, flipping to the first page. Jack’s handwriting was messy and a bit all over the place, but it was readable, and for that, Bunny was grateful. It would have been a waste of energy if he couldn’t decipher his chicken scratch.

At first, all Jack wrote about was the scenery. Little places he found while exploring, how neat the trees were for still being green underneath all the snow, and even a few drawings of the ocean and the volcano in the distance, followed by pointless and basic questions. The notes stopped in the middle of a sentence, the rest of the page blank, then on the back of it, a messy, rushed drawing of Hiccup with his yak-skin headdress on. He looked angry, prepared to attack, and wild. The next page was an excited scrawl about Hiccup hiding him from others, then running away when Jack asked him to tell him about his lifestyle. A list of questions Jack made followed, and then queries about seeing Hiccup again.

Soon, Jack mentioned Hiccup again, finding him at the pond deep in the forest, and being saved by him again. Hiccup brought Jack to the mountain, telling him he had to protect him. Once Jack mentioned dragons, Bunny had to sit back up. Drawings covered the next three pages, front and back, all of various reptilian beasts with little notes about their descriptions. He used Hiccup as scale.

He promised to teach Hiccup to draw, apparently, but began talking about the ceremony he would be going to. He had notes about the _Huligan_ ceremony, sketches of women dancing, then one of Hiccup dancing by the fire, eyes fierce and body much more detailed than the previous sketches. He must have been awestruck, since there were no further notes on that day.

Then, he was talking about the dragons again. They were a tribe called _Lopt Dýr,_ apparently, lead by Hiccup due to some near-war conflicts. They were in the midst of celebrating, according to Jack’s notes, and he mentions designs and markings one of the dragons put on him, a beast named Toothless. He sketched out a basic replica of the markings he wore, then a much more intricate sketch of Hiccup’s body paint. He documented the berries used, then noted the four trials the dragons went through, sketches and comments filling the pages.

Soon after, Jack was writing about joining Hiccup in his shelf, how Hiccup wanted to be penetrated, but it was too painful for either of them to actually go through with. He was disappointed with that, obviously, but he tried to keep the emotion from reaching his notes. Bunny had to respect that sort of effort. He wrote about Hiccup leaving with others to hunt, then about being forced to come out of his shelf, despite the worry that if he left, the dragons would deem him incompatible to the young chieftain. He was fed, clothed, bathed, then painted again, all in time for Hiccup and his hunters to return with their catch. He had a few more personal experiences with the man, then joined him for a second-night feast.

A note stated Hiccup made lubricant.

The next few pages were absolutely _packed_ with how great sex was. Poor boy was a virgin, thought Bunny, then he chuckled to himself before reading on. Jack made notes about the lube, apparently figuring out the flower they used to extract oil from, and sketched the flower in the corner of the notebook.

Then there was a page filled with crappy circles.

Bunny didn’t know why and he didn’t care to try and understand the obvious complexities of Jack’s mind.

The next page mentioned being bathed by Hiccup and a few other dragons, except this time, he called it a ‘deep cleaning’, and wrote about the embarrassment of being literally licked clean by giant reptilian tongues while his mate watched, laughing. He talked about how mates would lick each other’s teeth clean, and how after the third-night feast, Hiccup made a point to do exactly that for Jack, holding his chin in place and running his tongue along Jack’s top teeth, only for them to rush back to Hiccup’s cave and put the lube to good use.

A few pages were filled with images of Hiccup. Sitting at the edge of his ledge, looking out into the pit, talking with the dragons, skinning a snow wolf, and even him eating along the edge of the pit, eyes casted up at the observer in interest, curiosity, and love.

Bunny never knew Jack was such a great artist…

The notes stopped there, and Bunny had to lie still for a while to absorb the information. He could hardly believe Jack actually saw dragons, or that dragons even existed, and was on the verge of assuming Jack was experiencing hyper-realistic hallucinations when he heard the familiar roaring from the past three days echo through the night. They still had no real explanation for the noise… and the volcano had yet to erupt…

He had to see it for himself, Bunny decided. He would ask Jack in the morning.

* * *

 

Jack wandered into the caverns, mind heavy, but heart racing. He hadn’t gone to see Hiccup for three days, stuck at the camp taking notes and avoiding Bunny. Yesterday, the man came to him, though, and returned his journal. He asked Jack to take him to the cave so he could see the tribe himself, but Jack refused. After begging and a bit of threatening, Jack relented, and promised to ask Hiccup if it would be okay.

When he entered the pit, he was greeted by a kind roar from the relaxing dragons, and almost immediately he saw Hiccup’s head peak out from his ledge, smile breaking out on his face.

 _‘Little chief!’_ Toothless called out, though he was certain Hiccup already knew, _‘Your mate came back!’_

 _‘I see him, I see him!’_ Hiccup replied, scrambling down the cave wall quickly, then walking to Jack’s side, brushing a thumb against his lips in greeting, blushing when Jack kissed his finger. Hiccup leaned into him, pressing their foreheads together, “I did not think you would return…”

“Don’t doubt me, Hic. I wouldn’t leave my mate behind.” He chuckled, getting a happy look in response. They held each other for a minute, then Jack whispered, “Can we, uh, take a walk? I have something to ask you.”

Hiccup made a curious face, then nodded, “We must be back before nightfall, though. Tonight, one of the dragons will lay their eggs. The first egg laid is an important time.”

Jack looked surprised, then asked, “Can I… Can I watch?”

Hiccup smiled fondly, then said, “You are my mate. You are part of _Lopt Dýr,_ now. You will be expected to watch.”

Jack felt his stomach twist, surprised and amazed that he’s now considered part of their community. He broke into a grin, then pulled Hiccup into a tight hug, surprising the young chief. When they pulled apart, Jack laughed out an apology, “I got too excited, I guess. Does this mean I’ll have to learn the language?”

“You must try.” Hiccup said with a nod, then took Jack’s hands and lead him towards the mouth of the cave, “We have something to talk about, right?”

“Right,” Jack said, following him out into the snow. The further they got from the cave, the more tense Jack felt, and Hiccup seemed to notice it. Soon, they stopped by the pond they ran into each other the second time, and Hiccup turned to look at Jack, squeezing his hands and looking at him expectantly.

Jack took in a slow breath, then looked in Hiccup’s eyes, pressing his lips together. “You remember Bunny?”

“Yes. I do not like him.” Hiccup said quickly, pulling a face. Jack laughed lightly at that, then bit his lip.

“He… He read my journal. I let him read it. And he wants to, well… He wants to see the dragons.” Jack said slowly, Hiccup’s face pinching together in uncertainty, “He wanted me to ask you to let him come…”

“I do not like him.” Hiccup repeated, letting go of Jack’s hands, “He is an outsider.”

Jack frowned at that, squinting in confusion, “And what am I, then?”

“You are just Jack.” Hiccup said, shaking his head, “You are my mate. You are not an outsider, you are _Lopt Dýr Kyn._ ”

“I wasn’t always that,” Jack pointed out, knowing he would mess up the title if he tried to pronounce it, “I was an outsider too. What makes Bunny different than me?”

“I do not need a reason.” Hiccup said stubbornly, turning his nose up, “Tell him I say no.”

“You can’t just refuse him because you don’t like him!” Jack huffed, and Hiccup was about to argue when they heard an unfamiliar horn blow. They flinched, Hiccup’s eyes widening and Jack glancing around.

“Run.” Hiccup breathed, the horn sounding again. Jack gulped, glancing at Hiccup, and at the third blow, they both sprinted for the caves. They were a distance away, and Jack was slow. Hiccup was gaining distance between them, but when he noticed the man falling behind, he made a distressed noise and waited for him, glancing around cautiously.

“Just go, I’ll be okay!” Jack tried to reassure him, but when Hiccup gave him a desperate look, he could practically hear him say “You won’t be.”

Hiccup took Jack’s hand, running slower so Jack wouldn’t stumble. They heard shouting behind them, and Hiccup looked panicked. He began to roar, leaving him even more breathless, but it was a desperate cry for help from his tribesmen.

 _< <I hear one! Tear the trees down!>>_ Hiccup heard, and his heart palpitated at the closeness. When the trees around them began to creak, Hiccup quickly grabbed Jack’s arm, using all of his near non-existent strength, and launched him forward, throwing him out of the way of falling trees.

Jack landed with a yelp, getting buried in snow, and a tree fell right beside him, leaves and branches whipping his back and sides until he was sure he was bleeding. His hands went to his head and neck immediately, and he escaped permanent damage.

Hiccup wasn’t so lucky.

He heard him cry out in pain, but the sound of snapping branches and breaking tree trunks covered the noise. Jack kept his head down, hiding as best as he could where he landed, and he could hear the voices pass him.

_< <Sounded too human,>>_

_< <Things happen. People get in the way.>>_

_< <If it was a Huligan->>_

_< <Then we’ll kill them too.>>_

Hiccup trembled from where he was pinned, his leg going numb from the pressure, but the branches covered him enough for their attackers to find him. When the sound of crunching snow subsided, he glanced up, searching desperately for Jack. He didn’t hear him scream or shout, but that didn’t mean he was alive. When he couldn’t see him he gasped out a trembling, “Jack…?”

“I’m okay…” He heard him gasp, seeing brown hair pop up from behind a fallen tree, “Are they gone?”

“I do not know…” Hiccup whimpered, trying to free his legs, but he couldn’t feel his left foot, “Jack, help me out.”

Jack got to his feet, shaking a bit, but he stumbled over and dropped down beside Hiccup, glancing up constantly to make sure they were alone. He dug around the snow where Hiccup’s leg was trapped by a thicker branch, but even then, they couldn’t slide it out. When Jack looped his arms around Hiccup’s torso and tugged, Hiccup cried out in pain again and dug his fingers into his shoulders.

“Stop! Stop! Please!” He shouted, and Jack immediately let go of him, panting hard. Hiccup was trying not to cry or pass out, but he could already see the snow taint red, “You…. You have to go get help. Run to the caves-“

“I can’t!” Jack immediately protested, shaking his head, “I can’t leave you! What if they come back? I’m… I’m not a fast runner!” He whimpered, beginning to shake all over. Hiccup whimpered, dropping his head into the snow and trying to catch his breath, but he was panicking.

“ _Hul_ is closer, isn’t it? I’ll go to them, I-I can get to them!” Jack suddenly said, and Hiccup’s head shot back up quickly, eyes wide.

“No! Jack, they will kill you! Do not go!” He whimpered, digging his fingers into Jack’s wolf-skin wrap, “Please, _please_ , do not go! Just go to the caves, just get the dragons!”

“I can’t run that fast!” Jack insisted, looking desperate and cradling Hiccup’s face, pressing their foreheads together, “I have to go to _Hul_. They’re the only ones…”

Hiccup bit his lip, then squeezed his eyes shut and relented, “Okay…. You will go to _Hul_ … When you see them, yell _ásjá-“_

“ _ásjá_?” Jack repeated, breathing hard and looking over Hiccup’s face. Hiccup nodded quickly, looking up at Jack again.

“Then say my name when you know they heard you. Run back, do not let them catch you. _Please_ , do not let them catch you.” He begged, tugging on Jack’s wrap, and Jack nodded quickly, muttering _ásjá_ under his breath over and over again. When Hiccup was sure Jack understood what to do, he gently pushed on his chest, whispering, “Go…”

Jack sprang to his feet, sprinting towards the _Hul_ tribe, still muttering the word under his breath. Panic fuelled him, and he reached their grounds in ten minutes. He stopped just where the trees broke apart, immediately getting their attention.

 _“ásjá!”_ He yelled, and a few of them gave him a surprised look. A few others, on the other hand, brandished knives. Jack gulped hard, then yelled again, gesturing towards the forest, _“ásjá! H-Hiccup!”_

More surprised looks, then a few of them shouted to each other.

_‘Tell the chief!’_

_‘Hiccup is hurt!’_

_‘Get the outsider!’_

When they started towards Jack, he quickly turned tail and ran, jumping over branch and stone and occasionally sliding on the snow. He could hear them running after him, felt something wet running down his back, and his body felt like it was going to collapse at any second. The _Huligans_ were almost upon him when he reached the fallen trees, and he slid to his knees beside Hiccup.

“Hiccup, Hiccup, they’re here!” Jack quickly shouted, but Hiccup didn’t respond. His eyes were closed and his lips were blue, but he was shaking still. Jack squeezed his shoulder, trying to wake him, but he didn’t stir. The _Huligans_ hesitated, shock and pain and loss on their faces when they looked at their outcast member. Jack looked up at them, panic in his eyes.

“Help him!” He yelled, and when he got confused looks, he huffed and repeated, “ _ásjá_!”

Five men stepped forward, grabbing the tree and lifting it off of the man. Jack and two women grabbed Hiccup, pulling him out from under the tree, then Jack pulled him into his arms, his heart racing when he saw his mangled leg.

 _‘Stoick!’_ He heard the tribesmen shout, and he quickly turned to see the towering man walking towards him, eyes aflame. When he saw Hiccup in his arms, bloodied, unconscious, and broken, he faltered, face dropping in disbelief. He rushed to Hiccup, taking him from Jack’s arms despite his refusal, then shouted to his men, _‘Return to camp! Prepare the healers! Bring the outsider!’_

Jack yelped when two men grabbed him, squirming in their grips and struggling the entire way back to their land.

He was thrown into what he could only assume to be the chief’s tent, just in time to see three women rush to Hiccup, who was currently laying on a pile of soft animal skins, leg propped up. Jack scrambled to his knees, crawling towards them, but the women kept him away, shooing him as though he were an animal.

“Hiccup!” He protested, wanting to hold him and see him open his eyes and reassure him that he was okay. The women chanted and sang as they examined his leg, rubbing ointments and oils on him, making the unconscious man hiss and groan in pain.

“You’re hurting him! Stop it!” Jack yelled, then felt strong arms grab him around the middle when he tried to lurch forward. He grunted when he was thrown back, gasping when Stoick towered over him.

 _< <You hurt my son. What did you do to him?!>>_ Stoick yelled, but Jack just shook his head, unable to understand a word.

“Just help Hiccup. Just make him better.” Jack begged, his own words lost on the chieftain. They yelled at each other in their warring languages, none of it comprehensible to the other.

Soon, Stoick’s words fell apart when he heard Jack muttering over and over, _“ásjá, Hiccup…. Ásjá, Hiccup…”_

_< <Hiccup cannot help you, outsider! You have killed him!>>_

_“ásjá, Hiccup. Ásjá, Hiccup…”_

_< <Stop saying that! He cannot help you!>>_

Jack snapped, finally, tired of being yelled at. He got to his feet, knees knocking together, but they held him. Jack stared Stoick down, though he barely reached the giant’s chest, then shoved his hands against him, jabbing a finger towards Hiccup, “Don’t yell at me! Don’t waste your time on me! _Ásjá Hiccup!_ Help him, you primitive gorilla!”

Stoick’s eyes were wide in shock, finally understanding his demands. He looked reluctant, but eventually he turned to his son, sitting beside the boy and watching the healers work. Jack let out a shaky breath, knees knocking together again, then he collapsed, blood running from his back.

Stoick got back to his feet, startled, _< <Get him to the healer’s tent! Don’t let him die!>>_

* * *

 

Jack woke slowly, feeling lightheaded and weak, but crowded. He started realizing the hands running over his back, and in his half-conscious state, he lifted his head and grumbled out, “Hiccup?”

He heard feminine giggling from behind him, and he twisted his way towards it, seeing a young woman, currently setting leaves over his back. “Wha-?”

_< <You always groan his name. In your sleep, you cry for him.>>_

“I… I can’t….” Jack mumbled, shaking his head slowly.

_< <You slept for a while, outsider. Hiccup is still sleeping.>>_

“Hiccup?” Jack repeated, hearing his lover’s name in the middle of her chatter, “Is he okay? Where is he?”

She laughed again, rubbing an ointment over the leaves to keep them in place, making Jack hiss in pain, _< <You get so energetic when you talk of him. He’s lucky to have you, isn’t he? I’d die for a partner like you.>>_

When all she was met with was a confused look, she rolled her eyes, then said Hiccup’s name before mimicking sleeping. Jack relaxed a bit, then said, “Sleeping. He’s sleeping.”

“Sleeping.” She repeated, and Jack laid back down, watching her work, “ _Sofa._ ”

“Sofa?” Jack asked, squinting at her. She nodded, rubbing the leaves down flat, “ _Sofa._ Sleeping.”

Jack hummed, relaxing again, then murmured, “ _Sofa…_.”

“Can I see him?” Jack asked next, looking up at her. She quirked a brow at him, and he repeated, “Hiccup. Can I see him?” he tapped a finger just below his eyes.

 _< <You want to see him? See Hiccup?>>_ She asked, tapping her own eye, and when Jack nodded, she shook her head no, _< <Stoick does not want you near him. He is angry with you.>>_

Though Jack didn’t understand her, the shake of her head was enough. He sighed and relaxed again, pouting a bit. She laughed at that, making him pout more, _< <You need to heal more, anyway. Sleep.>>_

“ _Sofa?_ ” Jack repeated, and she nodded.

“Sleeping.” She said, placing a hand on his shoulder before getting up, leaving him alone.

A few hours passed, Jack occasionally slipping into a short nap, but he didn’t sleep long. The woman was back by the third time he woke, slowly peeling the leaves from his back. He groaned in pain, and she laughed at him.

 _< <You are weak like him. You two are made for each other.>>_ She quipped, but Jack just grumbled and winced as leaf after leaf was pulled.

“What are those, anyway?” Jack grumbled, eyeing the leaves. When she looked at him curiously, he pointed to the leaf, “What is it?”

She looked at the plant, then shrugged, _< <Medicine? I’m just in training.>>_

Jack quirked a brow, and she shrugged again. He sighed and laid back down, looking around the tent this time. He was alone, but there were more animal skins where people would lay. He gestured to the room, asking, “Is this a hospital?”

She glanced up, then said, _< <It’s a sleeping-hall. For the wounded.>>_

Jack looked at her, then asked again, “Hospital?”

_< <Sleeping-hall.>>_

“ _Skáli?_ ” He repeated, and she smiled.

“Hospital.” She said, and Jack smiled at her. He gestured to himself next, getting her attention.

“Jack.”

She regarded him with indifference, so he repeated himself. She laughed softly, then gestured to herself, “Astrid.”

“Astrid…” He mumbled, and she nodded.

“Jack.” She repeated, and he laughed. She began layering ointment on his back, making him hiss in pain. She laughed again, making him wonder if she was trying to hurt him. Soon, though, the stinging turned into a cool relief that seemed to flow through his veins, making his toes curl and his muscles relax, even the ones he didn’t know were tense. He sighed softly, unwinding under her rubbing fingertips, then fell back asleep.

This became a process, but Jack wasn’t sure how long he had been there. Every few times he woke, though, Astrid was there, tending to his back. They were talk lightly, not truly understanding one another, but they swapped words, and Jack was beginning to piece together childish sentences. Astrid didn’t seem to bother remembering English. Once, he awoke to find an older woman beside Astrid, watching her carefully and coughing into her hand.

 _< <His back is no longer infected?>> _She asked, peering down at Jack’s skin as his eyes fluttered open, squinting up at her curiously.

 _< <It’s still purple, but that’s from bruising. I got the leaves and splinters out, though.>>_ Astrid replied, catching Jack’s attention as she motioned to him, her eyes going to the elder.

_< <No more puss?>>_

_< <He’s clean, now.>> _Astrid answered, nodding in affirmation. The woman coughed again, then pressed a cold hand to his back, pressing down on one of the larger cuts and making him squirm. Astrid glanced between the two quickly, looking unsure and wary, but the woman pulled her hand away with a pleased hum.

 _< <You’ve done very well, Astrid. It surprises me that you took him on willingly.>>_ She remarked, getting back to her feet and heading towards the entrance to the tent, which was out of Jack’s eye-shot, _< <Mostly when you know next to nothing about healing.>>_

 _< <If I didn’t, no one would.>>_ Astrid accused, brows knitting together. The woman laughed, then began to cough again.

_< <Outsiders are a waste of time to save. They will die by Stoick’s hand eventually.>>_

Astrid didn’t respond to that, and turned back to Jack’s back, still fuming. He rubbed ointment into his skin, feeling him tense beneath her touch.

Jack didn’t know if he should speak, but he had to ask, just like every other time he woke up to her tending to his back, “See Hiccup?”

Astrid’s glare dissolved into a weak smile, and she shook her head no, _< <He is still sleeping.>>_

“Still?” Jack asked, furrowing his brows. When Astrid merely nodded, Jack bit his lip and thought for a bit. When he turned back to her, he asked, “How long have I been here?”

She made a curious noise, arching her eyebrow as her way of saying she didn’t understand.

“Time?” Jack asked, tapping his wrist to indicate a watch before realizing they probably didn’t know what one was, “Days?”

When she squinted at him, Jack grumbled a bit and looked around, spotting his notebook and pencil beside her legs. He pulled them to him quickly and flipped open to a blank page, drawing a stick figure to indicate himself and Astrid as they were, then a sun above them. Astrid narrowed her eyes a bit, and when Jack circled his finger above the picture then tapped the sun, she understood.

She held up a hand, all five fingers up, and Jack’s jaw dropped.

“He’s been sleeping for five days?” Jack asked, feeling his heart sink.

“Hiccup, sleeping.” She affirmed, nodding her head and turning back to taking care of Jack, only to yelp in surprise when he forced himself up.

 _< <Where are you going?! Jack, get back here, you’re not healed yet!>>_ She yelled, getting to her feet as he stumbled, shirtless, outside of the tent. He grumbled when he saw it was already nightfall, and he began to attract attention as he walked from tent to tent, throwing open the flaps until he finally found Stoick and Hiccup, shocking the chieftain. He heard Astrid calling out after him and a few other shouting, but he walked in anyway, letting the tent flaps fall shut behind him. Stoick stood, rage in his eyes, but before he was able to speak, Jack ducked out of his way and kneeled beside Hiccup, pressing a hand to his forehead.

“Hiccup, come on, you have to wake up.” Jack pleaded to the unconscious man, stroking his cheek and feeling sweat roll down Hiccup’s skin. His leg was wrapped in the same leaves he had on his back, but even under the thick wrap, he could tell how mangled it was.

 _< <What are you doing here?! Get out of my tent!>>_ Stoick yelled, finally getting Jack’s attention. Jack look flustered, first, then got to his feet, his knees not buckling this time, and he pressed a hand to his chest, looking Stoick in the eye.

 _< <I…. I have…. Sleeping-hall. Hiccup sleep, bad. My t-tribe have sleeping-hall. Help Hiccup. Heal Hiccup.>>_ Jack stuttered out, his words accented and shaky, but Stoick clearly understood him, his eyes bulging and his mouth hanging open. At first, he looked like he was about to refuse, teeth grinding together and hands squeezing into fists, but then he placed a heavy hand on Jack’s shoulder, eyes boring into his.

 _< <Help my son. Help Hiccup.>>_ He begged, his eyes glistening with worry for the man, and Jack just nodded. He would promise to keep him safe, but he didn’t have the words for such a thing. He carefully stepped out of Stoick’s grip, kneeling beside his lover and carefully scooping him in his arms. When he stood, he nearly whimpered at how light he had become. He looked back to Stoick, who was watching him closely, prepared to step in if Jack made a wrong move.

“Headdress?” Jack asked, only getting a confused look in response, “Uh… Yak? Horns? Hiccup’s yak headdress?”

 _< <The skull?_>> Stoick asked, miming horns above his head with his hands. Jack nodded quickly, and Stoick turned and took it from a large box towards the back of the ten. He placed the skull atop Jack’s head, tucking the skin around Hiccup tightly to keep him warm, and Jack smiled at him appreciatively.

He stepped out into the snow, back stinging and Hiccup pressed close against him, tucked under the skin. The tribe members and Astrid stared at him, shocked at seeing the outsider with Hiccup. Stoick stepped out behind him, shouting _< <Do not hurt him! Astrid, Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut, take them to his tribe!>>_

Astrid perked up, as did Jack when he heard her name, and she glanced behind her and yelled a quick, _< <Let’s get a move on!>>_

Her and three others stepped towards Jack, two of them men, the third a woman. They each took a turn to stare down at Hiccup, holding their hands at his mouth to make sure he was breathing, then they looked up at Jack.

Jack swallowed anxiously, unsure why they were surrounding them, but when he looked to Astrid, she gave him a reassuring nod, then gestured for him to walk. He took a slow breath, then stepped forward confidently, heading straight for his camp. The four of them followed, and as Jack passed by the tribesmen, he kept his head up, refusing to look at them, even as they hissed out what could only be insults.

When they were no longer in the clearing, Snotlout began to whine, _< <Putting Hiccup’s oh-so-precious life in the hands of a foreigner? What’s Stoick thinking?!>>_

 _< <Is it just me, or is this guy a little… grabby?>>_ Ruffnut asked, her voice slow and groggy. Tuffnut bumped his shoulder against hers, snorting in half-laughter, _< <He’s like Ruffnut when she gets a dragon leg for dinner.>>_

 _< <I don’t make eyes at my dragon leg!>>_ Ruffnut protested, shoving him back. Astrid stepped out of the way of the falling Tuffnut, then caught up to Jack, walking beside him and looking down at Hiccup.

 _< <He’s shaking, cover him more.>>_ Astrid said, and Jack just glanced at her, frowning in confusion. She rolled her eyes, then said, _< <Cold>>_ before she pulled the yak-skin tighter around the man. Jack watched her, then smiled in thanks when Hiccup’s shivering calmed.

The walk was only thirty minutes, but by the time they arrived, Jack’s knees were knocking together again and he could feel the cuts on his back reopening. He was sure the others could see the blood, especially when Snotlout took to slapping him on the shoulder to make him yelp in pain. At the edge of the camp, Jack turned to them and stammered, _< <No go.>>_

 _< <What?>>_ Snotlout snorted, crossing his arms

 _< <Is he stupid?>> _Ruffnut asked, squinting her eyes.

 _< <Or is he just dumb?>>_ Tuffnut finished, squinting his as well.

 _< <He doesn’t want us to follow.>>_ Astrid explained, putting her hands on his hips, _< <Come on, let’s pretend like we went back and stay around the trees. We have to protect Hiccup.>>_

They all grumbled in agreement, then turned and began walking back. Jack sighed in relief, thinking they were going home, then walked into the tribe, immediately getting startled reactions from the researchers.

“Someone get Bunny!” Jack shouted, surprising the researchers into action. One of them ran to Aster’s tent, and when he came, Jack let the yak-skin fall open, revealing Hiccup in his arms. Aster’s eyes widened, but he looked even more surprised at seeing Jack.

“Get him in the first-aid tent!” Bunny quickly instructed, shoving a few researchers towards him, “C’mon, we’ve got a bleedin’ kid on our hands, let’s go!”

* * *

 

Jack’s back was bandaged and it finally stopped bleeding. He was sitting in his tent, anxiously stroking the bandages that wrapped around his chest. Aster had left to watch over Hiccup, as Jack begged him to do, and he had been gone for five hours already. Jack wanted to go out and look, but he knew if he tried to leave, the others would force him back in his tent and tell him to rest.

Jack nearly jumped out of his skin when the tent flaps were pulled back and a tall, spindly man crawled in, looking up at Jack with wide silver eyes and a small frown on his lips.

“Ah! You must be Jack!” He said, somehow fitting his six-foot-five self inside Jack’s itty-bitty tent. Jack wiggled backwards, unsure who the man was or what he was doing in his tent.

“Uh…?” Was all he could say before the man scooted closer, poking a hand at his chest a bit roughly.

“You brought that native here, didn’t you? Aster won’t tell me anything.” He said, keeping his face much too close to Jack’s own for his liking.

“Y-yeah, I brought Hiccup here. Who are-?”

“So you’re to blame. Bad news, Jack, you didn’t bring him in time. Tell me, what delayed you?”  He demanded, putting his hands on his crossed legs and still leaning forward, eyes narrowing just a bit.

“Is Hiccup okay?!” Jack asked, panicked when the man told him he was too slow. He moved to stand, but the man laid a long hand on his shoulder and forced him back down, setting him still with an intimidating look.

“Tell me what happened.” He demanded, and Jack merely glared back.

“Tell me what’s wrong with Hiccup.” Jack bargained, though his heart was racing from fear. They stared each other down for a while longer, then the man leaned back and crossed his arms.

“He’s okay. He will be okay. I will take you to him later, but you’ll tell me what you’ve done, first.” He stated, his thin black brows arching.

Jack clenched his jaw, then let out a relieved sigh when the words truly hit him. His shoulders sagged, his head hung, and he let himself tremble from the pent-up anxiety, “We were walking in the forest. There were horns blaring, and he told me to run. We were going to run back to the caverns, but then the trees started falling. Someone was cutting them down. Hiccup threw me ahead, but one of the trees crushed his leg. The branches tore up my back, and he told me to go get help, so I went to the _Hul_ tribe and got them.

“I guess we lost too much blood, because I slept for nearly the entire five days we were there. Hiccup… hadn’t woken up at all…” Jack finished, refusing to look up at the stranger in his tent. When the man simply hummed, he finally chanced a glance up, just to see him smirking down at him.

“The entire trip here, you have been told the _Hul_ tribe is most dangerous tribe we will encounter, but you still risk your life to save a native?” He asked slowly, and Jack made a face at that.

“He’s not just a native! He’s Hiccup, and he’s my… My….” Jack clenched his jaw, cheeks burning and eyes turning down again, unsure if he should say it. When the man simply hummed in curiosity, Jack swallowed down his fears and forced the words to come out, “He’s my partner. My… husband?”

When he looked up again, he saw surprise instead of fury in the old man’s eyes.

“Husband?” He echoed, then he broke out into a low chuckle, surprising Jack, “Young man, you realize we will be going home at the end of the year, don’t you?”

“Yes, I realize that, but I don’t care! I’ll sneak Hiccup on board if I have to! Hell, I’ll even stay here!” Jack fumed, rising to his knees so he was at least eye-level with the still sitting man, “I’m not leaving him behind, and I want to see him _now_!”

The man looked surprised, then chuckled under his breath before relenting, “Then I’ll show you to him.” He said, gesturing with his hand for Jack to follow before he crawled out of the tent, getting back to his feet and popping his back. Jack followed quickly, not caring about the icy sand underneath his bare feet or the cold wind nipping at his semi-bare chest. They walked the short distance to the first-aid tent, and when they arrived, Jack saw Hiccup sitting up, hands in his lap and tears running down his cheeks. Aster was standing beside him, a hand on his shoulder and mouth close to his ear, whispering to him.

“Hiccup!” Jack called out, getting the man’s attention quickly. When he stepped forward to greet him, Hiccup took the pillow from the bed he laid on and threw it at him.

“No! _No!_ I do not want him to see me!” He sobbed, “Do not let him see!”

Aster got up from his spot beside Hiccup and went to Jack, putting his hands on his shoulders, about to push the shocked man out of the tent, but the stranger stopped him, putting a hand gingerly on Jack’s back.

“He’s worried about you, Hiccup.” The man said, urging Bunny to let go of Jack and pushing the man forward instead, towards the still sobbing Hiccup.

“Please leave, Jack,” Hiccup begged, twisting the blankets that covered him in his hands, “I am fine, please leave.”

“You’re not fine, don’t lie to me.” Jack said quickly, going to his side and grabbing the second pillow Hiccup was about to throw at him, tearing it from his grip and tossing it aside, “Show me. Please.”

“No!” Hiccup refused, lifting his hands to shove him away, but Jack simply laced their fingers together and pushed them down, leaning in and pressing his forehead against Hiccup’s, looking into his eyes. Hiccup continued to sob, but he didn’t tear away from Jack’s touch. When Hiccup was able to catch his breath, he shakily whispered, “It’s gone… It’s gone…”

“What’s gone?” Jack whispered back, squeezing his hands and keeping their eyes locked. Hiccup closed his, then let his head fall to Jack’s chest, body shaking as he let Jack wrap his arms around him. When he didn’t answer immediately, Bunny stepped forward.

“They had to amputate his leg.” He supplied, and Hiccup let out a pitiful wail, clutching Jack tighter as if afraid he would let go. Jack swallowed hard, the stranger’s mention of him being too slow making sense to him now, and he pressed his lips against the top of Hiccup’s head.

“I’m so sorry…” He whispered, closing his eyes, “This is my fault… I’m so sorry.”

“Do you know what they do to those who lose limbs, Jack?” The stranger spoke up, but Jack didn’t turn to face him. He merely shook his head no, still holding Hiccup close and trying to keep him from shaking too hard, “The _Hul_ tribe burns them. The _Berserkr_ tribe eats them.”

“And the _Lopt Dýr?_ ” Jack asked, but the stranger did not respond. Hiccup took in a shaky breath, still not lifting his head from Jack’s chest.

“We are peaceful. We nurse them.” Hiccup said, feeling the breath of relief flow through Jack’s lungs. At that, he finally looked up, meeting Jack’s eye again and said grimly, “My father will think you have killed me. This is a death sentence.”

“We’ll talk to him. We’ll make him understand that it was to save your life.” Jack said quickly, trying to shove away his worries, but Hiccup merely shook his head.

“He does not talk. He only commands. He will not understand.”

Jack clenched his jaw, then looked down at the blankets before glancing back at Hiccup. When the man gave him a hesitant nod, Jack carefully lifted the sheets away, breath slipping out from his lungs when he saw Hiccup’s left leg stop just below his knee.

“We can... We can make him understand,” Jack said again, but Hiccup just clicked his tongue and wrapped his arms around Jack’s neck, pulling him close and burying his face against his neck.

“He will not. He will hurt you.” He whispered, running his fingers through Jack’s hair, “You have to leave. You have to go home.”

“If I go, he’ll kill you.” Jack whimpered, hugging Hiccup closer and cradling his head against his neck, closing his own eyes, “I can’t leave you behind. I can’t go without you.”

“And I cannot let you stay.”

They were silent for a while, then Jack asked, “Come with me?”

Hiccup hugged him tighter, and replied, “No. I have to look after my tribe.”

Jack squeezed his eyes tighter, then said, “I… I’m _Lopt Dýr Kyn…_ Aren’t I?”

Hiccup smiled against his neck, then lifted his head and pressed their foreheads together again, both hands cradling Jack’s cheeks.

“Take me home.” Hiccup requested, and Jack nodded quickly. Just as he was about to scoop him up, though, the stranger stepped up and put a hand on Jack’s shoulder, stopping him.

“Why don’t I assist you?” He asked with a smile, “We both know you are too weak to make a trip with him. Let me carry him.”

“No.” Both Hiccup and Jack said, both for their own reasons. The stranger looked surprised, and Bunny quickly stood beside Jack, gripping his arm and getting his attention.

“Jack, that’s the _director_ of this whole trip! You can’t just say no to Pitch!” He hissed, as if trying to keep the man from hearing, and when Jack’s eyes widened, Pitch merely laughed.

“So let me help you, Jack.” Pitch requested, but Hiccup still refused.

“You will not come.” Hiccup said sternly, wiping away his dried tears and tilting his chin up, trying to maintain his authority through trembling limbs, “If I allow anyone to come, it is Aster.”

Both Jack and Bunny made a surprised noise, and when Jack looked at Hiccup in confusion, Hiccup just pursed his lips and had that look in his eye that dared Jack to challenge his change in attitude towards the man. Pitch narrowed his eyes, then looked at Bunny with a raised brow.

“Are you sure?” He asked, and Hiccup merely nodded. Bunny and Jack were even more surprised when Pitch stepped down, shrugging his thin shoulders.

“Then it will be Bunny.” He stated to no one, locking eyes with the man and crossing his arms. The man pressed his lips together, then went to Hiccup and carefully scooped him up, cradling him in his arms before pulling the blanket over him, making sure his leg was covered. Hiccup grabbed the yak-skin from the end of Hiccup’s bed, but when he was about to place it on Hiccup’s head, he quickly refused, pushing it away.

“You must wear it. To warn them.” Hiccup said with a shake of his head, and Jack sucked in a breath before nodding. Slowly, he placed it upon his head, letting the skull fall over his face until he was looking through the eyeholes. Hiccup smiled at him, then held on to Bunny’s jacket, making sure he wouldn’t fall.

Jack lead the way, stepping into the forest with confidence. Bunny followed closely behind him, holding Hiccup tight and clamping the blanket against him so it didn’t flap in the wind. None of them noticed the four sets of eyes on them, or the way the leaves rustled when the entourage ran back to their home with urgent news.

Bunny was excited, but he tried to keep it stomped down. It was inappropriate to be excited when the man he was holding was still dealing with the loss of his leg, and he thought he did a good enough job until they finally reached the mouth of the cave. Hiccup lifted his head and let out a throaty roar, the noise echoing through the tunnel. Jack continued walking, not flinching like Bunny when the roar was amplified and returned.

“That’s—That’s the noise!” Bunny gasped, holding Hiccup closer and anxiety setting in. Was the volcano going to explode while they were literally inside of it? Jack didn’t respond, still walking forward, and Hiccup merely smiled.

“That is the dragons.” He explained. When they reached the pit, Bunny stopped entirely. Jack spotted Toothless and waved at him, getting a wave in response before the beast bound forward, sniffing the yak-skin, then turning to Hiccup.

 _‘Chief?’_ He asked worriedly, already knowing something was wrong if Hiccup had to be carried into the cave.

 _‘Bring me to my shelf.’_ Hiccup requested, then looked at Bunny and said, “Put me down.”

“Oh, right, okay.” He stammered, still trying to deal with the fact that there was a _dragon_ right before him. When Hiccup’s foot met with the ground, the blanket fell away, and every dragon sucked in a tight breath. Jack went to Hiccup’s side, using the yak-skin to hide his missing limb, and Toothless moved forward next, letting Hiccup climb onto his back before he leapt to Hiccup’s shelf, hiding him away. Toothless sat at the mouth of Hiccup’s ledge, spreading his wings open to block anyone from looking in, hissing if a dragon came too close.

“I have to sit with him.” Jack said to Bunny, looking up at where Toothless was perched, “Just sit at the pit and try not to dig in your pockets. They’re kind creatures.” He instructed before taking off towards the wall. Toothless spotted the man as he climbed and hung his tail over the edge, offering him help. When he felt Jack’s hands wrap around him, he pulled him up and gently nudged him into the cave, purring gently to let Hiccup know Jack was there.

Bunny was, in all honesty, terrified. Left alone with a cavern full of dragons definitely set him on edge, and when he slowly edged towards what he assumed to be the pit was—which was actually just a giant pool of molten lava that bubbled and steamed from the intense heat—the dragons cooed and clicked at him in wonder, sitting around him and watching.

Bunny cleared his throat uncomfortably, staring down into the lava and rubbing his hands together. It was much warmer in there than it had been earlier, and now his coat was making him sweat. He slowly began to take it off, but when it was halfway down his chest, he accidentally looked up to see practically every dragon sitting across the pit from him, staring.

He sucked in a quick breath, already majorly uncomfortable.

In Hiccup’s shelf, Jack helped Hiccup gather up his swords and daggers, dropping them on his yak-skin blanket in a messy pile. When they amassed as much as he had, Hiccup used the wall to hobble towards Toothless, gently tugging on his wing until the beast tilted his head down to listen.

 _‘Take the blanket down to the pit, put the metal in one of the silver rocks and melt them. When it is done, bring it back up here.’_ He instructed, getting a worried look from the beast.

 _‘Who will shield you?’_ Toothless asked worriedly, and when Hiccup nodded towards Jack, his eyes softened and he nodded. Hiccup shuffled towards the back of the cave, tying off the blanket to keep the weapons inside, then Toothless quickly darted back, grabbing the bag with his teeth before launching himself out of the cave, landing down by the pit. Jack quickly filled Toothless’ spot, standing at the ledge with the yak-skin headdress held open, and though it was smaller from Toothless’ wingspan, it still did the job.

Behind him, he could hear Hiccup panting as he hopped around his shelf, the sound of rock being scraped away echoing dully.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jack asked over his shoulder, worried that his lover would pass out from over-exertion.

“I will be okay,” Hiccup replied with a sigh, continuing to carve into the ground, “It will just take time.”

“What are you planning?” Jack asked next, resisting the urge to turn and look at him, since he had to keep his arms up. The scraping stopped, then Hiccup sighed again.

“I will make a new leg.” He stated simply, and when Jack’s head turned as much as it can to look at him, Hiccup smiled at him and said, “There was a man in my father’s tribe who had lost his limbs, but instead of burning him, Stoick sent him away. They were close friends, and my father didn’t want to see him die.

“When I was sent away, after joining _Lopt Dýr,_ I ran into the man. He had made himself new limbs out of the metal in his blade. I have not seen him since, but if he was able to do it, then I should as well.”

From below, they heard Toothless roar, and Jack quickly stepped out of the way in time for the beast to carry up an insanely hot silver rock with liquid metal inside. When he was inside the cave, Jack held out his arms again, looking over his shoulder to watch as Hiccup and Toothless carefully tilted the rock, pouring the metal in the molds Hiccup carved.

When all the molds were filled, Toothless pushed the still torrid silver rock to the side, using his wings to cool the metal down until Hiccup was able to pry them out with his claws.

 _‘Bring me a bowl of water. It has to be cold.’_ Hiccup instructed, gently pushing on Toothless’ snout. Jack stepped out of the way, letting the beast out, and watched as he conferred with Stormfly and another dragon, a stout, bulbous one, and the three of them zoomed out of the cave. After they were gone, Jack’s eyes were attracted to Bunny, who was still sitting at the edge of the pit, staring down into the lava. The dragons were watching him, curious, and the way the man tensed whenever one cooed at him made Jack grin.

Behind him, he heard Hiccup hammering at the metals, the loud clanking echoing through the caves. When Toothless and the others came back, a hollowed rock filled with water in their claws, Jack stepped aside and let them in, watching as they placed the rock down, then the bulbous one and Stormfly quickly left.

Hours passed, and Jack’s arms were shaking. He couldn’t feel them by now, but he forced them to stay up. He could hear Hiccup and Toothless working the metal, the hiss of it being dipped in the water and the purr of Toothless spitting out flames to heat it back up. Constant clanking and clinking, until finally, it all stopped. Toothless went to Jack, nudging him to the side and replacing him. Jack’s arms fell to his side, throbbing, and he gave the beast an appreciative look. He went to Hiccup, looking down at his handiwork, then knelt beside him, letting his arms hand at his sides like wet noodles. Hiccup cradled the metal contraption in his arms, then looked at Jack.

“The man my father sent away, he pierced the metal into his skin to make it stay.” Hiccup said nervously, and Jack could already tell what he was about to ask him.

“Can’t we just fasten in around your thigh?” Jack asked, not wanting to purposely hurt his mate. Hiccup shook his head no, looking down at his work.

“For it to be a proper leg, it must be attached to me. Permanently.” Hiccup said slowly, running his fingers over the metal, “That is what Gobber told me.”

Jack pressed his lips into a line, then tilted his head until he locked eyes with Hiccup, “Let me get Bunny. He’s better at this than I am, he can help.”

Hiccup thought about it for a moment, then nodded, allowing Jack to get up and go to the ledge, calling out to his friend.

Aster’s head popped up quickly at his name being called, and when he saw Jack motioning for him to join them at the ledge, he felt himself pale at the thought of scaling the wall without any support. Not to mention how much he absolutely hated heights.

He went anyways, determined to help out in any way he could—and definitely not to get away from the staring dragons—and he began to climb the wall. He flinched when a tail waved in front of him, then looked up to see Toothless staring down at him, offering him a gummy smile. Bunny carefully grasped his tail, gasping when he was hoisted up onto the ledge. Jack went to him, grabbing his shirt and pulling him up further, despite the pain in his arms.

“Come on, you have to help Hiccup get his leg in.” Jack said, earning a confused look from the man as they walked further into his shelf. When Aster saw Hiccup’s metal leg, his brows rose and his mouth hung open.

“Did you just make that?” He asked in doubt, kneeling in front of Hiccup and looking over the leg. When the man nodded, Aster huffed a laugh, then shook his head, “Alright, are we tying it on your thigh?”

“We are going to pierce it into my leg.” Hiccup said firmly, and Aster’s smile fell.

“Are you sure about that? It’s so close to your knee, you might not be able to bend it properly.” He pointed out, reaching a hand out and pressing his fingers along Hiccup’s wrapped knee, measuring his leg to continue for only two inches below that. Hiccup watched his hand, then said, “We will attach this first.”

He gestured to a metal piece beside him, a two inch tall ring that had bolts along the sides that would drill into Hiccup’s leg, securing it in place. In the center was a square hole, and Hiccup demonstrated attaching the leg through the hall, hearing it click in place. Bunny took it after that, tugging and pulling, but the leg wouldn’t come free. When he looked satisfied with it, Hiccup reached over and pressed a button on the ring, letting the leg fall free.

Aster stared at the contraption in his hands for a minute, then asked in disbelief, “And you just made this?”

Hiccup nodded again, and when Aster gave him an incredulous look, the man smiled a little and said, “It is only a first try.”

“Only a—Hiccup, this is a masterpiece!” Bunny argued, and Jack laughed a bit and sat beside them, arms resting in his lap.

“So will you help him attach it?” Jack asked next, and Bunny hummed in thought.

“Well, I don’t think it would be smart without some sort of anesthesia… or something to knock him out with…” He grumbled, looking over the contraption, “But I’ll give it a shot. I’m not a doctor, though.”

“If Jack says you can help, I will trust you.” Hiccup said sternly, pressing his fingers into his leg, “Pain does not matter.”

Aster sucked in a slow breath, then nodded, looking over the ring in his hand, then slowly pulling the bolts out.

“Unwrap his leg. Get that dragon over here.” Aster instructed Jack, but Jack frowned and glanced at Toothless.

“Who’ll shield you?” He asked, looking at Hiccup. The chief thought for a moment, then called out to Toothless.

 _‘Toothless, get Stormfly to shield us. We need you here.’_ He ordered, and Toothless nodded and relayed the message to Stormfly, who made her way up to the ledge quickly. Toothless edged back into the shelf, and Stormfly took his spot, wings spread and spines flexing anxiously. She wanted to look at Hiccup, but she knew she had a job to do.

Toothless went to Hiccup’s side, pressing his nose against the man’s cheek, asking warily _‘How can I help?’_

Jack was unwrapping Hiccup’s leg already, and Hiccup turned to Aster, waiting for his instruction.

“He’s going to heat up this piece,” Aster explained, tapping the end of the ring that would be inserted into Hiccup’s leg, “Then he’ll have to… well, he’ll have to burn your skin to hurry up the healing process.”

Hiccup’s teeth grinded together, but he nodded anyways and relayed the information. Toothless looked shocked at first, refusing to do it, but when Hiccup begged him to do his part, the beast relented.

When Hiccup’s leg was bare, the muscle and tissue visible from where they cut his leg, Aster held up the ring to Toothless, who heated it quickly with a small flame. When the metal was a bright red, Aster looked at Jack and said, “Hold him down tightly, don’t let him wiggle.”

Jack laid Hiccup down on his back, straddling his stomach backwards, and he held down his leg, making sure he wouldn’t be able to move it. His arms shook slightly, but he forced them to stay solid for this. He couldn’t let Hiccup hurt himself. Jack felt Hiccup’s fingers press into his back, nervous, but he gave the go ahead anyway.

In one quick motion, Aster shoved the ring into Hiccup’s leg, the man flinching and screaming out in pain. Nails dug into Jack’s back as he tried to squirm away from the pain instinctually, but Jack held him down, watching in horror as the ring sunk completely into Hiccup’s tissue. When the ring was in place, Aster had Toothless heat up bolt after bolt, twisting them into Hiccup’s skin to secure the metal in place.

Scream after scream tore through the chieftain’s throat, echoing ominously through the pits. The dragons began to sing soon after the second cry, hoping to calm their chief’s pain. The tune was simple, repetitive, and soon even Jack and Toothless joined in, muffling the screams with their voices. Hiccup was sobbing when he wasn’t screaming, tears streaking down his face as bolt after bolt pressed into his skin, and he began muttering in his mother tongue for the Gods.

When the last bolt was pushed in and secured, Aster turned to Toothless and nodded, and the beast cooed out a quick apology to his chief before he breathed fire onto his limb, burning the skin and the ring into place.

“Alright, that’s good. Dunk the leg in water.” Aster said, gesturing to the rock of pond water they still had. Jack got off of Hiccup, scooping up the wailing man in his arms, nearly dropping him, and he dipped his injured leg into the water, the sound of metal hissing and steam coiling through the air. The song stopped, the sound of screams gone, and they all waited for a result. Hiccup still cried, but he pressed his cheek against Jack’s chest and whispered words of appreciation, thanking him for doing this. He was shaking all over, but he knew his tribe needed a response.

“I have to see them.” Hiccup whispered, throat raw from the screaming, “Give me my leg.”

“It’s not smart to walk on it so soon.” Aster quickly refused, grabbing the leg and holding it away from Jack, who had reached out to get it for him, “You’re healing. You have to let it heal for a few more days.”

“I do not have days. I must see them now. Just for a moment.” Hiccup demanded, holding out his shaking arm, “Give me my leg.”

Aster still looked adamant, but he gave in, handing over the boy’s leg and watching him pull his limb from the water, immediately hissing in pain as the hot air made his burning nerves sting. He attached the leg in a quick motion, then slowly stood up with Jack’s help. When he put pressure on his metal leg, he couldn’t hold back the short yelp of pain that tore through him. Jack got to his feet, wrapping an arm around his waist to help him stand, then slowly walked with him towards the ledge. Stormfly hesitantly lowered her wings, and Hiccup stood without Jack’s help, breathing shallowly and feeling like he was about to collapse from the pain.

He didn’t need to say a word as he stood there, looking down with red eyes and a tear-streaked face at his tribe. He was standing on his new leg, and the beasts roared in respect, support, and awe. Even when Hiccup faltered and Jack helped him stay upright, they roared.

“What are they saying?” Jack asked softly, helping Hiccup stand tall and trying to keep him from thinking about the pain.

“They are not speaking. They are cheering.” Hiccup replied with a small smile, “They respect us.”

“Us?” Jack whispered, looking out over the cave of dragons in surprise.

“Yes. A dragon that stays with their mate even after major injury is loyal. They respect you for your loyalty to me.” Hiccup explained, then gestured for them to go back to the water so Hiccup could relieve his pain. Jack helped him walk back, and Stormfly raised her wings again. Hiccup removed the leg, then dipped his limb back into the water, wincing at the rush of cold on his screaming nerves.

“How long will it take to heal?” Hiccup asked Aster, who came to his side and examined the leg under the water.

“A while. More than a week, I think. I’d suggest keeping it cold so the skin heals quicker, so maybe wrap it in snow.” Aster said, taking his fingers out of the water and looking up at Hiccup, “But the more you walk on it before it’s done healing, the worse it will be. So don’t walk on it, okay?”

Hiccup sighed a bit, then nodded, looking down at his leg and resisting the urge to rub it, “Thank you, Aster. You are a good man.”

Aster grinned, then crossed his arms and said snootily, “I bet you like me now, don’t you?”

Hiccup hummed softly, then said, “I think I am… warming up to you.”

Jack began laughing at the pun, letting his head fall against Hiccup’s shoulder, and when Hiccup shot him a jokingly confused look, Jack simply laughed harder. Aster rolled his eyes, grinning, then asked in a serious tone, “Do you need me to stay? I know Jack will, even if I try to drag him back, but he isn’t exactly the most learnt in first aid.”

“I would appreciate it greatly if you stay.” Hiccup said with a nod, then added, “But I also understand if you must go. You have your tribe to tend to.”

Aster smiled a bit, then shrugged, “They have enough doctors. I think this patient it’s a little more important anyway.”

Hiccup grinned at him, then said, “I think you are trying to get on my good side.”

“If it’s working, I’m not trying.” Bunny said with a shrug, and they shared a short laugh.

“I told you you’d like him.” Jack murmured into Hiccup’s ear, getting a small noise from the man.

“I do not remember.” Hiccup lied, resting his head against Jack’s chest and staring down at his leg, smirking when Jack made an exasperated noise.

* * *

 

Hiccup and Jack were sitting on the yak-skin blanket face-to-face, Jack feeding Hiccup yak meat since it was hard for the chieftain to climb up and down the wall with his leg still healing. It had been four days since they attached the ring, and he was healing incredibly well. Aster was surprised at the speed, but Hiccup explained that the dragons were bringing him ointments and leaves to help soothe the burn. Ever since then, Aster had gone with the beasts to gather said leaves, making notes and sketching them out in order to research it further when he returned to camp.

“Hmm…. Sheep?” Jack asked, popping a berry past his lips, then giving one to Hiccup.

 _‘Sheep,’_ Hiccup repeated in dragon-speak, nodding a bit, “You have to start rough. Start in your chest.” He advised, patting a hand to his own chest and repeating the word slowly.

Jack tried mimicking him, but his roaring was weak and untrained, sounding more like a newborn hatchling than a twenty-year-old man. Hiccup began laughing at him, then said, “No, no, lower, you are saying ‘hungry’.”

“Well, maybe I’m hungry for sheep!” Jack quipped with a grin, popping another berry into his mouth. Hiccup laughed again, then urged him to try again, pressing a hand against Jack’s chest.

“Start here. Feel it here.” Hiccup said, pressing his fingers against him. Jack cleared his throat, then tried again, growling as low as he could until Hiccup smiled at him, feeling the vibrations through Jack’s body, “Yes, that is perfect!”

“This is too hard, it’s just one sound!” Jack complained, and Hiccup shook his head and pushed himself closer.

“It is not one sound, it is a group of sounds. We layer them, say them together, until it becomes a word. It is like writing, you put together the letters to make a word.” Hiccup tried to explain, but Jack’s doubtful look let him know he didn’t do a good job.

“You will understand it. I know you will.” Hiccup promised him, leaning forward to kiss him in the privacy of their shelf. Jack sighed against his lips and ran his fingers through Hiccup’s hair, kissing back slowly.

Their kissing was interrupted, though, when Toothless flew into their shelf in a rush, quickly saying, _‘Chief, the Hul have come. The leader demands to see you.’_

 _‘Are they inside?!’_ Hiccup gasped, grabbing his metal leg and attaching it, despite Jack’s protests.

 _‘They are not, but they look ready to barge in at a moment’s notice.’_ Toothless whimpered, glancing back towards the pit, then lowering a wing for Hiccup to climb on him. The man grabbed his yak-skin headdress and donned it, then climbed onto Toothless’ back. Jack quickly scurried down the cave wall, meeting them at the bottom, and he helped Hiccup to his feet. The yak-skin covered his legs, and Hiccup held it closed so it wouldn’t move as he limped towards the cavern entrance. Jack walked beside him, a hand on Hiccup’s back in case he faltered. The dragons watched them go, standing around the entrance to the pit just in case, and when Hiccup and Jack reached the mouth of the cave, they were immediately greeted by a surprised looking Stoick.

 _< <Astrid said you were badly injured.>>_ He answered Hiccup’s unasked question of what he was doing there, _< <They said the foreigner was taking you here, and when you didn’t return, I thought….>>_

 _< <I am injured, and I am healing in my caves. Is it wrong of me to want to be home while I am in pain?>>_ Hiccup asked, narrowing his eyes. Stoick quickly shook his head no, glancing towards his entourage of four men.

_< <I was… worried for you. You didn’t wake up for five days.>>_

_< <It has been four more and I’m doing better. Go back to you tribe, Stoick, leave mine in peace.>>_

_< <Astrid said they were carrying you. Is your leg still twisted?>>_ Stoick asked, ignoring Hiccup’s request and stepping forward. Jack took a step forward himself, challenging him, hand still on Hiccup’s back. Hiccup smiled at Jack, then ran a hand up his arm.

“It is okay. He is not angry.” Hiccup whispered to him, and Jack relaxed only slightly. Hiccup turned back to Stoick, smile falling from his lips.

 _< <My leg is… better.>> _Hiccup finally answered him, _< <It hurts still, but I’m able to walk and stand.>>_

Stoick seemed to relax at that, glancing down to Hiccup’s covered feet, then back up at his son’s face, _< <I brought a healer. Do you mind if he->>_

 _< <Yes, I mind. I am fine, father, I don’t need an inspection.>>_ Hiccup quickly refused, clutching the yak-skin tighter around himself and frowning. Stoick narrowed his eyes at that, then took another step forward.

_< <There is something wrong with your leg, isn’t there? Show it to me.>>_

_< <I am fine. Go back to your tribe, Stoick.>>_ Hiccup warned him, clutching the yak-skin tighter still and glaring down at the dirt.

_< <Show me your leg!>>_

_< <No!>>_

_< <Hiccup!>>_ Stoick yelled, making the man flinch and suck in a nervous breath, _< <Show. Me.>>_

Hiccup clenched his jaw, then looked at Jack who was still glaring at Stoick.

“I will show him.” Hiccup said, and Jack’s glare turned into a look of surprise, and he looked down at Hiccup.

“Are you sure? Won’t he be angry?” He asked quickly, holding him closer. Hiccup smiled warily at him, then nodded.

“He will be, but it will be okay.” He reassured him, and Jack gave him a worried look.

 _< <I will show you.>>_ Hiccup said to Stoick, but before he pulled away the yak-skin, he added, _< <But remember that I’m not in your tribe. I am not yours to command.>>_

Stoick’s stare hardened at that, already knowing it was going to be horrible. Hiccup sucked in a slow breath, held it, then gently pulled the yak-skin up, revealing the metalwork he stood on. Stoick’s heart sank, the four men behind him gasped and whispered in shock, and Hiccup let them stare for a moment longer before he dropped the skin again.

Stoick’s eyes went to Jack, rage flickering in his pupils, and he growled out, _< <What did you do to my son?!>>_

 _< <It’s not his fault!>>_ Hiccup argued, but Stoick ignored him and stepped closer to Jack, jabbing a finger at Jack’s chest and making him step back.

_< <You said you would help him! I trusted you!>>_

_< <I help!>>_ Jack argued back, getting a surprised look from Hiccup and an angrier look from Stoick, _< <Hiccup good. Hiccup heal.>>_

 _< <You’ve killed my son!>> _Stoick yelled, and Hiccup stepped between them, pushing his father back.

_< <I’m still alive! I’m still standing! So I lost a leg, that will not stop me! I am not weak, father!>>_

_< <You will die without your leg. And these foreigners are what will have killed you.>> _He snarled, jabbing a finger against Jack’s chest again, _< <We did not attack first.>>_

Hiccup’s eyes widened and he felt his heart pound, watching as his father and his entourage turned and headed back to their camp.

“Hiccup?” Jack whispered when Hiccup didn’t move. Hiccup blinked a few times, then looked down at the snow before replying.

“He… He is going to attack your tribe…”

He could feel Jack tense at his words, and he slowly turned to face him, looking up at his face with a frown, “I am sorry… I… I did not mean for this to happen…”

“No, it’s not your fault.” Jack whispered, hugging him close, “We just have to warn them. We have to protect them.”

“I cannot. Dragons are peaceful creatures. We do not fight.” Hiccup whimpered, still looking up at him, “We cannot help.”

“Please… Please you can’t just let them kill my tribe.” Jack begged, looking desperate, “You have to do something, you—you have to help them!”

Hiccup looked reluctant, then started to think, closing his eyes, “I… I can ask the dragons. But if they say no, there is nothing I can do.”

“That’s okay, that’s okay, just please try.” Jack said quickly, nodding his head eagerly. Hiccup sighed through his nose, then tugged on Jack’s arms.

“Come, help me walk.” He requested, and they slowly made their way back to the pit. When they got back in the pit, the dragons immediately started chirping their questions, letting Hiccup and Jack shuffle towards the center and sit down.

 _‘My tribe, we have something important to discuss.’_ Hiccup called out, gesturing for them to sit around the pit. The dragons cooed nervously, following his instruction. Toothless sat beside him, watching his chief carefully, offering a wing when Hiccup wanted to stand. Jack stayed sitting, as Hiccup requested, but he held up a hand to steady him. When the dragons quieted down, Hiccup spoke slowly.

_‘My mate comes from a tribe that isn’t from Berk. I had missed the first egg because Berserkr hunters attacked us in the forests. He brought me to safety, first in the Hul tribe, then in his own. His tribe healers had to take my leg to save me, and because of this, my father, the chief of Hul, seeks revenge._

_‘My mate’s tribe is peaceful, like ours. They only seek to further their knowledge, increase their intelligence, and explore. They have no way of protecting themselves from Hul men. They do not have claws like you, they do not have teeth like you. This pointless revenge will end in a massacre of innocent humans._

_‘So I beg you to consider protecting my mate’s tribe. We cannot stand by and watch them fall. If we are truly about peace, knowledge, and the life of all creatures, then we have to save them by any means necessary!_

_‘I know violence is not what we want to fall back on, but it is the only language the Hul tribe speaks. I must repay my debts to my mate’s tribe, and I can only ask you to support me.’_

The dragons were quiet. Jack looked out at them with pleading eyes. Hiccup took a slow breath, looking over them with hope that dwindled the longer they stayed still.

 _‘He has saved our Chief…?’_ an older dragon asked warily, getting the tribe’s attention as she lifted her head. When Hiccup nodded, she purred and closed her eyes, _‘Then they are worth saving. Peace be damned.’_

 _‘If we attack the Hul, it will spark a war! Worse yet if the Berserkr tribe is included!’_ Stormfly argued, rustling her spines anxiously. A few dragons cooed in support, but the elder dragon had her own supporters.

 _‘How can we pretend to be of peace if there is the blood of an entire tribe on our wings?’_ one shouted, raising his wings angrily, _‘They saved our Chief. We must repay them as best as we can!’_

_‘They don’t belong on Berk anyway, who cares if they die?’_

_‘Life is precious, no matter where it comes from! Would you want our hatchlings to say the same of you? “They’re not from our generation, who cares if they die?”’_

_‘That has nothing to do with it!’_

_‘We must look at the actual issue here: do we forsake our ideals of peace to repay the debt we owe?’_

_‘No!’_

_‘Yes!’_

_‘But why must we repay in this way? Can’t the tribe simply leave the way they came?’_

_‘And what of the chief’s mate? What will happen to him?’_

_‘Let him stay!’_

_‘Make him go!’_

_‘Enough!’_ Hiccup shouted, tired of the back and forth, _‘We are running out of time! If we cannot come to a decision soon and take action, I fear we may be too late! Do we help the_ Guardians _tribe or not?!’_

The room fell quiet again, the dragons thinking quickly. When no one answered, Toothless spoke up.

_‘We can create a barrier around their tribe. We do not attack, we defend. If the Hul try to get through, we simply shove them back out again! If they hurt us, then they break their treaty with us, and they will have started the war! Peace be damned!’_

A chorus of ‘ _Peace be damned!’_ followed his spiel, and the rest of the dragons seemed to agree with his plan. All at once, the beasts sprang into the air, filing out the cave quickly. Toothless waited, stretching out a wing for Hiccup and Jack to climb onto his back.

“What’s going on?” Jack asked as he climbed up behind Hiccup, wrapping his arms around his waist to stay steady.

“We are going to protect your tribe.” Hiccup answered, and they took off into the air, headed for the beaches.

“M-maybe I should talk to them first?” Jack suggested, getting a curious look from Hiccup, “Well, where we’re from, dragons don’t actually exist, remember?!”

Hiccup’s eyes popped open and he stammered, “I forgot!” then he turned to Toothless, _‘Get us at the front!’_

“Tell me someone’s going to collect Aster, too!” Jack asked, and Hiccup nodded.

“They will be getting the hunters and gatherers now. Aster will be among them.” Hiccup explained quickly, pressing himself closer to Toothless so the beast could zip through the cloud of dragons and get them to the beach first.

When they landed, the researchers began to scream, scattering quickly until Jack hopped off Toothless’ back and waved his arms.

“Hey! Stop, stop, hold on! It’s okay!” He shouted, and they slowly began to relax, eyes wide and jaws hanging, “Okay, bad news first, the _Hul_ tribe is planning on attacking us! Good news, Hiccup’s tribe is gunna protect us! Uh, sorta neutral and pretty important news last, his tribe is dragons.”

And almost like that was their cue, dragon after dragon began landing around the beach, successfully barricading anyone from outside. The researchers began to panic again, but their commotion was silenced when Pitch stepped out of his tent, yelling at them to calm down.

“What is going on h—“ He stopped, eyes settling on Toothless, then at the wall of dragons, then finally Jack. Jack smiled sheepishly at him, and Pitch narrowed his eyes before marching towards him, “You disappear for four days, no word back, and you return with a horde of flying beasts at your side! You had me worried sick, boy!”

“You’re, uh, you’re not surprised about the… the dragons?” Jack hesitated, glancing at Toothless, then back at Pitch, who merely laughed in his face.

“Jack, the dragons are what brought me here!” He snorted, “So what are they doing here?”

“My father will attack soon,” Hiccup explained, sliding off of Toothless’ back and limping to Jack’s side,  “My tribe will keep them out as best as we can. I advise you pack up and leave.”

“Hiccup—“

“Do not argue with me Jack, we both know you cannot stay.” Hiccup interrupted him, looking at him with stern eyes, “I cannot protect you.”

Jack looked heartbroken. His mouth hung open, but he couldn’t think of a thing to say. When Pitch’s hand clapped down on his shoulder, he barely flinched, and the man dragged Jack away, telling him to pack up his tent and get on the ship. Jack didn’t respond, he just glanced back at Hiccup, hoping he would tell him that he changed his mind, but the man turned his head away and gestured to Toothless.

“I have to go with him.” Jack said to Pitch, finally, fighting against the man’s grip, but Pitch grabbed him around his middle and pushed him back, stepping between them.

“Jack, listen… Hiccup is not like you. He isn’t like any of us. You and him are just… not compatible. What he’s doing for you is a nice gesture, but you have to face the facts. You don’t belong here, and he doesn’t want you.” Pitch said slowly, his words burning into Jack’s head like the bolts Aster shoved through Hiccup’s leg.

“You don’t know that…. You can’t say something like that!” Jack yelled, shoving at Pitch, but the man pushed him back towards his tent.

“Think about it, Jack! Ever since you got tangled with the man, you’ve only brought him pain!”

“That’s not true!” Jack fought, but Pitch wouldn’t back down.

“He lost his leg because of you, he lost his right to mate someone actually compatible with him because of you, he lost respect from his father because of you—the list goes on, Jack! You can’t sit here, twiddling your thumbs, and pretend like it’s not your fault that we have to leave!”

Jack gasped, Pitch’s words like punches to his gut. “You’re lying…. You’re….”

“I’m telling you the facts. Now get your tent packed and get on the ship.” Pitch demanded, pushing him back again and not taking his eyes off of him until he was walking himself to his tent.

At the line of dragons, Aster slid off of the beast that brought him there, landing in the snow and walking towards Hiccup and Toothless, who were making their way towards him.

“Where’s Jack?” He asked nervously, glancing around when he didn’t see the man at Hiccup’s side.

“He is packing. You must pack too, you will be leaving soon.” Hiccup said, pausing to talk to the man. Aster’s brows furrowed and he gave Hiccup a doubtful look.

“He’s just… He’s just going to leave you?” He asked, knowing that wouldn’t be something Jack would do.

“Yes. I told him to.” Hiccup replied flatly, turning his head down, “I cannot protect him like this. And I cannot take him from his true tribe.”

“Hiccup, first of all, we’re not a tribe.” Bunny sighed, getting a surprised look from the man.

“What?”

“We’re just a group of people who are getting paid to be here and take samples. I don’t even know half these people’s names! I doubt any of them care about Jack, much less know him! Everyone here is about science and money, but Jack’s the only one here who cared to learn about the natives! He’s not even getting paid being here because he’s my assistant! He doesn’t have family back in America, he doesn’t have friends, and he definitely doesn’t have a job if we get out of here.”

Hiccup looked even more confused, so Bunny rolled his eyes and put his hands on Hiccup’s shoulders, “Skipping all of that to my second point, that boy is absolutely crazy over you. He risked his life to save you, didn’t he? Sure he’s a bit out there, but he’s trying. For you. You can’t just ignore that!”

“But… I can’t keep him safe…” Hiccup stammered, and Bunny snorted.

“Hiccup, he definitely won’t be safe if word gets out that he mated with you when he gets home. Did he tell you what our community likes to do to his type?” Bunny asked, nodding towards the ship.

Hiccup furrowed his brows, but he nodded. Bunny stepped closer, then said, “You have to hold onto him, Hiccup. If he goes back, he’ll be hurt.”

“He’ll be killed if he stays…” Hiccup argued.

“He’ll be _tortured_ if he goes.” Aster fought back, giving Hiccup a stern look. Hiccup turned his head down, eyes searching as he thought, then he looked back up at Aster and asked, “And you? What will happen to you?”

“Does it matter?” Bunny asked, frowning.

“You are Jack’s friend. He told me you are. If he stays, he will miss you.” Hiccup argued, and Bunny’s brows shot up, surprise all over his face.

“He said that?” He asked softly, letting go of Hiccup nervously.

“If he stays, will you?” Hiccup asked, but Bunny didn’t have an answer. A horn sounded in the distance, alerting Hiccup and the dragons that the _Hul_ had arrived.

 _‘Toothless! Go get Jack! Bring him to me!’_ Hiccup ordered, stepping away from Bunny and calling out to his tribe, _‘Dragons! We must defend this tribe until they are safely gone!’_

The dragons roared their hurrahs as another horn blew. Bunny watched as _Huligan_ after _Huligan_ attempted to squeeze past the dragons, but the beasts swatted them back with tails and wings, never causing damage, but keeping them hunters away from the scurrying humans. The ship was piling up with their equipment, but it was a slow process with the number of people. Bunny was torn between standing beside Hiccup and running back to the ship, to where he knew he was safe. When he heard Toothless shout from the air, he turned, then smiled when he saw Jack on the beast’s back, hair whipping wildly. Toothless landed beside Hiccup, Jack sliding off of him in a fluid motion, then throwing his arms around Hiccup and hugging the man to his chest.

“Don’t do that!” He sobbed, squeezing him tightly, “Don’t you dare try to get rid of me again! God, Hiccup, you scared me!”

“I am sorry, I am sorry,” Hiccup chanted, wrapping his arms around Jack’s neck, then pressing their foreheads together, “I am selfish. I want you to be safe, but I cannot let you leave. Not when I cannot make sure you are safe.”

“I’m safe here, idiot. I’m fine here…” Jack whimpered, running his fingers through Jack’s hair, then flinching when the horn blared again.

“If you are to stay, we must hide you. They will not stop attacking until they believe every foreigner is gone.” Hiccup said to Jack, then looked towards Bunny, “Will you come?”

Jack looked up at Bunny as well, hope in his eyes, and when Bunny looked doubtful, he whispered, “I know you hate the cold, but think of all the things we could learn!”

Bunny crossed his arms, then sighed, “Fine, but I’m only staying because you’ll probably get lost without me!”

Jack smiled, then looked to Hiccup, “Alright, where do we go?”

“Go back to the pond. Hide in the trees and do not come down until you hear me. Do not go to the caves, they will look there.” Hiccup instructed, then bit his lip, “I have to stay. I cannot leave them.”

“That’s okay. Just promise you’ll come get us.” Jack said, stroking his thumb against his cheek and getting a smile from him.

“I promise. Now go.” He whispered, pressing his fingers to his lips, then sliding them along Jack’s before pushing him away. Jack smiled at him, then nodded to Bunny and they both took off, slipping into the forest without being noticed by the _Hul_. Hiccup turned his attention to the dragons, pacing behind them and wincing at the pain in his leg.

The dragons did well to barricade the _Hul_ from the others, shoving them back when they got too close. Through the gaps between dragons, Hiccup saw his father, and they merely stared each other down. Stoick’s eyes glanced down to Hiccup’s leg, and Hiccup stood his ground, letting him stare. Stoick’s jaw clenched and Hiccup bared his teeth.

Suddenly, Stoick’s eyes moved up, and Hiccup turned to see the ship pushing away from the shore. Hiccup let out a breath, watching it move further and further, then his eyes were attracted to the man at the front, staring down at him. They locked eyes for a long while, Pitch’s eyes narrowing and his hands clasping behind his back. When Hiccup turned back to his father, he found the man gone. Slowly, the _Hul_ stopped pressing forward. The further the ship went, the less the _Hul_ attacked, and soon, they began to retreat.

Hiccup waited for a minute, glancing around to make sure they were safe, then he broke out into a grin, _‘They are gone!’_

The dragons roared in victory, stomping their feet and batting their wings together. They hadn’t resorted to violence, and their stance on peace was kept. Toothless ran to Hiccup, pressing his head against the chief’s stomach in an appreciative nuzzle, and Hiccup laughed and wrapped his arms around the beast, hugging him back.

 _‘Thanks for having my back on this, bud.’_ Hiccup purred, scratching Toothless’ ears.

 _‘I always will. Let’s go get your mate, shall we?’_ Toothless suggested, and Hiccup smiled and nodded.

* * *

 

“They are gone, now.” Hiccup said as he, Jack, and Bunny stood at the shores where the researchers left in a rush, “Will you miss America?”

“Of course I will,” Jack said, crossing his arms and looking out into the ocean, “It was my home. Everyone misses their home.”

Hiccup’s eyes lowered, and he daren’t look at Jack, fear pulsing through him, “Will you be happy here, one day?”

Jack paused at that, then turned to look at Hiccup’s surprised at seeing his mate so sad-looking. He gently took Hiccup’s hand, minding the claws, then brought it to his lips, kissing the dull side of his claws and looking him in the eyes, “I’ve been happy the day I set eyes on you.”

“I think I might be lactose-intolerant,” Bunny suddenly blurted out, and when he got confused looks from the two beside him, he crossed his arms and stared pointedly into the ocean before finishing with, “Because that was so cheesy it gave me indigestion.”

Jack begun to laugh, but Hiccup still didn’t understand the joke. He smiled to be polite, anyway, and when Jack calmed down, he turned back to the ocean and said, “They will not come back, if they know what is good for them.”

“I’m not too sure about that,” Jack sighed, getting a curious glance from his lover and Bunny, “He said some things that are… bothering me.”

Bunny let his hands fall to his sides, brows furrowing, “Like what?”

“Well,” Jack began, looking towards the two, “The main thing was, when the dragons first landed here, I asked him if he was surprised about seeing them. He told me that they were the reason we were here in the first place…”

Bunny turned his head down, brows knitted together in thought, and Hiccup asked, “What else did he say to you?”

“Well… when you told me to get on the ship, he began saying how much of a screw-up I am and how I ruined everything for you… I mean, I _am_ the reason your leg is gone…” Jack admitted, scratching the back of his neck shyly. Hiccup clicked his tongue, then stepped closer to his mate, intertwining their fingers and looking him in the eye.

“Things happen. No one is to blame. You are not the one who cut the tree.” He said softly, keeping eye contact to make sure his message came across. Jack smiled weakly, then turned back to the ocean.

“But I still wonder… What did he want with the dragons?” Jack asked, not really expecting an answer. Hiccup pressed his lips in a line and Bunny put his hands on his hips.

“I don’t know, mate, but I think we better make a game plan in case he comes back.” He stated, and Jack nodded immediately.

“Speaking of plans, I must make you both knew clothing, you cannot blend in with this.” Hiccup said with a scowl, plucking at Bunny’s waistcoat and shirt.

“Does it matter? I mean, we’re bound to run into your father anyway. He’d recognize us, right off the bat.” Jack mentioned, and Hiccup hummed softly.

“That is all true, but that does not mean you cannot be comfortable.”

“I’m comfortable in what I’m in!” Bunny argued, and Hiccup quirked a brow at him.

“I doubt that.”

They heard a roar in the distance, and Hiccup sighed and turned his back on the ocean, walking towards the trees, “Come. We must start the ceremony.”

“Ceremony?” Bunny asked, watching as Jack fell in step beside Hiccup, then trailing behind them.

“Yes. You both will be _Lopt Dýr Kyn_ now. You will receive your first tattoo.” Hiccup said with a smirk, gesturing to his own dragon mark on his shoulder.

“But… none of the dragons have tattoos… do they?” Jack asked, glancing back at Aster to see he wore the same reluctant expression.

“Of course they have tattoos. The problem is, dragons shed skin.” Hiccup said with a laugh, “They did not realize humans do not when they did mine. So now, it is a ritual.”

“So do we get dragon tattoos like yours or…?” Aster asked, trailing off with a shrug as he stepped into the snow.

“You will get the beast of your choosing. I chose dragon because they are who saved me.” Hiccup explained with a shrug.

“I want a yak!” Jack announced excitedly, but both Hiccup and Aster gave him a blank stare that killed his happiness.

“That’d be a horrible idea.” Aster stated, and Hiccup made a noise of agreement.

“Well, what else is there here? Snow wolf? Bunny? _Sheep_?” Jack groaned, and Hiccup laughed softly.

“Aster can be the sheep.”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?!” Bunny huffed, gently nudging Hiccup, then scrambling to grab his arm when he stumbled on his metal leg. Jack threw out his own arm as well, and when Hiccup was steady, they all smiled weakly at one another.

“Okay?” Jack asked, and Hiccup nodded slowly, then slid his thumb against Jack’s lower lip, smiling when Jack kissed it.

“Ugh, do that when I’m _not_ here!” Bunny quickly scoffed, letting go of Hiccup and taking the lead, heading towards the caverns. Jack laughed softly and Hiccup blushed, then he pulled Jack in for a real kiss while Aster wasn’t looking, surprising his mate.

“I forgot to mention…” Hiccup whispered against Jack’s lips, then pulled him closer so he could purr in his ear, _‘As my mate, you’ll be expected to hunt with me, and I don’t mind private hunting sessions…’_

When he pulled back, he lightly nipped Jack’s nose and whispered, “Did you understand?” Jack’s rosy cheeks let Hiccup knew that he understood enough, and when he pulled away from his lover, Jack merely stumbled after him before he found his legs again.

“B-but I thought dragons only mated for a week?” Jack asked in a low voice, rushing to catch up with Hiccup, who only laughed.

“Yes… But we are not dragons. And they know this, too.” Hiccup grinned, then rolled his eyes and growled, _‘You chose me, Jack! You should’ve known what you were getting yourself into!’_

“H-hey! You danced first!”

“And you danced with me!”

“Oh, my God, children, stop flirting!” Aster whined, clapping a hand over his ears, “You’re going to make me vomit!”

Hiccup and Jack laughed, then Jack took Hiccup’s hand and kissed his cheek before he whispered in his ear gentle words that made Hiccup blush and look at him with a small smile.

“ _Minn snœr bóndi.”_


End file.
